Saskatchewan River

Saskatchewan River, river system in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The North Saskatchewan flows east 760 mi (1,223 km) from the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains. The South Saskatchewan flows east 550 mi (885 km) from the combined waters of the Bow and Oldman rivers. The rivers then join and flow 340 mi (547 km) to empty in Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba. The river system, first explored by Henry Kelsey (1690), became an important fur trade route. It is now important in the irrigation of southern Alberta and as a source of hydroelectric power. Among the cities lying on the Saskatchewan River and its tributaries are Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert.