Smoothstone River
{{Short description|River in Saskatchewan, Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Smoothstone River
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| image_size = 255px
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| map = Churchill river hudson basin map.png
| map_size = 250px
| map_caption = Map of the Churchill River drainage basin
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| pushpin_map = Saskatchewan#Canada
| pushpin_map_size = 250px
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of river's mouth in Saskatchewan
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| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Canada
| subdivision_type2 = Province
| subdivision_name2 = Saskatchewan
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| source1 = Wabeno Lake
| source1_location = Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan
| source1_coordinates = {{Coord|54.3123|-106.4224|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation = {{cvt|554|m}}
| mouth = Pinehouse Lake
| mouth_location =
| mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|55.3328|-106.6453|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{cvt|384|m}}
| progression =
| river_system = Churchill River
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| tributaries_left = {{hlist|Mitawanga Creek}}
| tributaries_right = {{hlist|Randall River}}
| waterbodies = {{hlist|Lavallée Lake|Paquin Lake|Clarke Lake|Little Clarke Lake|Smoothstone Lake|Little Emmeline Lake|Emmeline Lake}}
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Smoothstone River{{cite web |title= Smoothstone River |url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAIXK|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=20 February 2024}} is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It begins at Wabeno Lake in the Waskesiu Upland and traverses boreal forests and muskeg in the Mid-Boreal Upland{{cite web |title=Ecoregions of Saskatchewan |url=https://biolwww.usask.ca/rareplants_sk/root/htm/en/enthusiast/4_ecoreg.php |website=usask |date=30 May 2008 |publisher=University of Saskatchewan |access-date=20 February 2024}} en route to Pinehouse Lake of the Churchill River.{{cite web |title=Churchill River Watershed |url=https://www.wsask.ca/hydrographs/churchill-river-watershed/ |publisher=Water Security Agency |access-date=20 February 2024}} The Churchill River flows east through Manitoba into Hudson Bay.
Access to Smoothstone River is from Highways 916 and 165.{{cite web |title=Smoothstone River, Saskatchewan, Canada |url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-6150330.html |website=Mindate.org |publisher=mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy |access-date=20 February 2024}}
Course
Smoothstone River begins at the western end of Wabeno Lake{{cite web |title=Wabeno Lake Fishing Map |url=https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/ca_sk_wabeno_lake_sk-wabeno-lake-nautical-chart.html |website=GPS Nautical Charts |publisher=Bist LLC. |access-date=20 February 2024}} of the Waskesiu Hills in Prince Albert National Park and flows west into Lavallée Lake. One of the largest concentrations of nesting American white pelicans and double-crested cormorants in Saskatchewan is supported on Heron Island within Lavallée Lake.{{cite web |title=Lavalleé Lake |url=https://www.ibacanada.ca/site.jsp?siteID=SK004 |website=IBA Canada |publisher=Birds Canada |access-date=20 February 2024}} From there, the river flows out of the Waskesiu Upland in a northerly direction passing through multiple lakes, the largest of which is Smoothstone Lake. Smoothstone River ends at Pinehouse Lake, which is a lake along the course of the Churchill River.{{cite web |last1=Grajczyk |first1=Martin |title=Churchill River |url=https://esask.uregina.ca/entry/churchill_river.html |website=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan |publisher=Canadian Plains Research, University of Regina |access-date=20 February 2024}}{{cite web |title=Smoothstone River Below Emmeline lake |url=https://www.r-arcticnet.sr.unh.edu/v4.0/ViewPoint.pl?Point=5590 |website=R-ArcticNET |publisher=ArcticRIMS Station Data |access-date=20 February 2024}}
Fish species
Fish commonly found in the Smoothstone River include northern pike and walleye.{{cite web |title=Smoothstone River - Hwy 916 |url=https://www.brmbmaps.com/explore/canada/saskatchewan/saskatchewan/smoothstone-river-hwy-916/12839 |website=BRMB Maps |publisher=Mussio Ventures Ltd. |access-date=20 February 2024}}