McLeod River

The river begins in the southern arm of Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park, about 5 kilometres east of the eastern boundary of Jasper National Park. The McLeod River originates from a northward basin between Tripoli Ridge and the Cardinal Divide,[https://en-ca.topographic-map.com/map-8x39m/Alberta/?zoom=13¢er=52.8912%2C-117.27648&overlay=0&base=2/ McLeod River (headwaters)], topographic-map.com a watershed divide that separates water that eventually drains north into the Arctic Ocean and east into Hudson Bay.[https://yhcounty.ca/explore/things-to-do/unique-places/#/ Cardinal Divide], Yellowhead County website Headwater tributaries of the McLeod River flowing from the eastern slope of the Rockies include Thornton, Prospect, Whitehorse, Cadomin, and Luscar Creeks.[https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Location-of-the-McLeod-River-headwaters-Alberta-Canada-The-five-creeks-that-comprise_fig1_227246056/ McLeod River headwaters], Irvine, R. and Jackson, L., Spatial variance of nutrient limitation of periphyton in montane, headwater streams (McLeod River, Alberta, Canada), Researchgate.org The river snakes through the foothills and is soon joined by four major tributaries, the Gregg, Erith, Embarrass, and Edson rivers before meeting the Athabasca River near the town of Whitecourt, Alberta.[http://www.ramp-alberta.org/river/geography/basin+landscape/tributaries+and+water+sources.aspx/ Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program (RAMP) profile], [https://ramp-alberta.org/ ramp-alberta.org]

Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s the Alberta Government undertook a number of planning studies that discussed diverting water from the Athabasca-Mackenzie watershed to the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers. In 1970, a preliminary engineering report on the McLeod Valley Dam was released by the provincial Department of Agriculture.

The dam was to be {{convert|20|mi|km|order=flip}} northeast of Edson, Alberta, near the hamlet of Peers, Alberta. The diverted water would have been sent via a canal to Chip Lake. The report read:Development Planning Branch, Water Resources Division, Alberta Department of Agriculture, Preliminary Engineering Report on the Investigation and Design of the McLeod Valley Dam, Edmonton: 1970.

{{blockquote|The main embankment would be {{convert|5810|ft|disp=sqbr}} long with crest elevation at {{convert|2780|ft|disp=sqbr}} and a maximum height of {{convert|140|ft|disp=sqbr}}. Dykes, {{convert|13,230|ft|disp=sqbr}} long and with a maximum height of {{convert|15|ft|disp=sqbr}} would also be required. Two diversion tunnels, one of which will later be converted to a low level outlet, are proposed to handle river flow during the construction period. A gated ogee crest spillway has been designed with a discharge capacity sufficient to route a 1:500 year flood through the reservoir. The dam would create a reservoir approximately {{convert|12|mi|disp=sqbr}} long with a total storage area of {{convert|562,700|acre.ft|m3|lk=in|disp=sqbr}} at full supply level of {{convert|2770|ft|disp=sqbr}}.}}

The McLeod Valley Dam, as well as the larger Athabasca-to-Saskatchewan diversion scheme, was shelved in the 1970s due to rising construction costs and environmental concerns.

Tributaries of the McLeod River, from headwaters to the Athabasca River, include:

• Thornton Creek
• Cheviot Creek
• Prospect Creek
• Whitehorse Creek
• Drummond Creek, Harlequin Creek
• Cadomin Creek
• Luscar Creek
• Lac des Roches
• Watson Creek
• Mackenzie Creek
• Beaverdam Creek
• Taylor Creek, Chief Creek, Thompson Creek, Rainbow Creek
• Mercoal Creek
• Deerlick Creek
• Eunice Creek
• Wampus Creek
• Mary Gregg Creek
• Mary Gregg Lake, Trapper Creek
• Antler Creek
• McCardell Creek
• Gregg River
• Berry's Creek, Sphinx Creek, Drinnan Creek, Folding Mountain Creek, Mystery Lake, Warden Creek, Teepee Creek, Wigwam Creek
• Anderson Creek
• Quigley Creek
• McPherson Creek
• White Creek
• Corral Creek
• Embarras River
• Mitchell Creek, Baril Creek, Lambert Creek, Neill Creek, Prest Creek, Bryan Creek, Dummy (Hay) Creek
• Erith River
• Rodney Creek, Raven Creek, Hanlan Creek, Lendrum Creek, Lund Creek, Halpenny Creek, Wickham Creek
• Little Sundance Creek
• Swartz Creek
• Wolf Creek
• Edson River
• Bench Creek
• Trout Creek
• January Creek
• South Carrot Creek
• Lost Creek
• Groat Creek
• Beaver Creek

• List of Alberta rivers

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{{Alberta rivers and lakes}}

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Category:Rivers of Alberta