Woody River
{{Short description|River in Western Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Woody River
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| image_size = 250px
| map =
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| pushpin_map = Manitoba#Canada
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| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the mouth in Manitoba
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Canada
| subdivision_type2 = Provinces
| subdivision_name2 = {{hlist|Manitoba|Saskatchewan}}
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| source1 = Woody Lake
| source1_location = Porcupine Hills
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|52.4657|-101.6911|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation = {{cvt|691|m}}
| mouth = Swan Lake
| mouth_location = Division No. 17, Manitoba
| mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|52.5103|-100.8463|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation ={{cvt|259|m}}
| progression =
| river_system = Nelson River
| basin_size =
| tributaries_left = {{hlist|Whitefish Creek|Hubbell Creek|Bowsman River}}
| tributaries_right = {{hlist|Hart Creek}}
}}
Woody River{{Cite web|url=http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/GBEOQ|title=Place names - Woody River|first=Natural Resources Canada|last=Government of Canada|website=www4.rncan.gc.ca}} is a river in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The river's source is in the Porcupine Hills{{Cite web|url=http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAHPY|title=Place names - Porcupine Hills|first=Natural Resources Canada|last=Government of Canada|website=www4.rncan.gc.ca}} and Porcupine Provincial Forest of eastern Saskatchewan. From there it flows south through boreal forest{{cite web |title=Boreal Plains Ecozone |url=http://ecozones.ca/english/zone/BorealPlains/index.html |website=ecozones |access-date=17 April 2022}} and then east through Boreal Plains in the Parkland Region of Manitoba en route to Swan Lake. The river parallels the Swan River for much of its route as it travels through Swan River Valley between Duck Mountain and Porcupine Hills of the Manitoba Escarpment. Bowsman{{cite web |title=Living Here, History of Bowsman |url=http://www.minitonas-bowsman.ca/p/history-of-bowsman |website=Minitonas-Bosman |publisher=MUNICIPALITY OF MINITONAS-BOWSMAN |access-date=17 April 2022}} is the only notable community along the course of Woody River. Several highways cross it, including Saskatchewan's Highway 980, Manitoba's Roads 588, 366, 268, and Manitoba's Highway 10.{{cite web |title=Woody River, Saskatchewan, Canada |url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-6184493.html |website=Mindat.org |publisher=mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy |access-date=17 April 2022}}
Course
Woody River begins from the southern shore of Woody Lake at Woody Lake Weir in Porcupine Hills Provincial Park. The main tributary for Woody Lake is Midnight Creek{{cite web |title=Midnight Creek|url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HALNE|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada}} which has its source deep in the Porcupine Hills and is connected to several lakes in the provincial park, including Isbister, Townsend, Elbow, Spirit, and Island Lakes.{{cite web |title=Map of Woody River in Manitoba |url=https://cartographic.info/canada/map.php?p=mb&id=343265 |website=Cartographic.info |access-date=17 April 2022}}
From Woody Lake and Porcupine Provincial Park, Woody River travels south through the RM of Hudson Bay No. 394 and out of Porcupine Hills. It enters the RM of Livingston No. 331 and the Swan River Valley before heading east. The river parallels Swan River, which also has its source in the Porcupine Hills, and it is joined by multiple tributaries, crossed by several highways, and passes through Bowsman, which is at confluence of Woody River and Smith Creek. It empties into the western shore of Swan Lake at Swan Lake First Nation.{{cite web |title=Woody River, Saskatchewan Map |url=https://www.geodata.us/canada_names_maps/maps.php?featureid=HANNV&f=254 |website=Geodata.us |publisher=Geodata.us |access-date=17 April 2022}}
= Tributaries =
Tributaries of Woody River, from upstream to downstream, include:
- Midnight Creek (flows into Woody Lake)
- Island Creek
- Whitefish Creek (from Whitefish Lake)
- Little Fish Creek (into Whitefish Lake)
- Smallfish Creek
- Rock Creek (into Whitefish Lake)
- Mud Creek
- McVey Creek
- Mink Creek
- Hart Creek
- Hubbell Creek
- Trout Creek
- Whitebeech Creek
- Smith Creek
- Bowsman River
- Camp Nine Creek
- Mullin Creek
- Kemulch Creek
- Birch River
- Caldon River
Parks and recreation
At the headwaters of Woody River in Saskatchewan is a portion Porcupine Hills Provincial Park{{cite web |title=Porcupine Hills Provincial Park |url=https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/provincialpark/3144/porcupine-hills-provincial-park#sort=relevancy |website=Tourism Saskatchewan |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan |access-date=17 April 2022}} called the Woody River Block.{{Cite web|url=http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAXCZ|title=Place names - Woody River Recreation Site|first=Natural Resources Canada|last=Government of Canada|website=www4.rncan.gc.ca}} The park is centred around the lakes that make up the source of the river, including Isbister Lake, Townsend Lake, Elbow Lake, Woody Lake, Spirit Lake, Island Lake, and Smallfish Lake. Amenities and activities include camping, fishing, snowmobiling, swimming, and hiking.{{cite web |title=Townsend Lake - Woody River Provincial Rec Site |url=https://www.campendium.com/townsend-lake-woody-river-provincial-rec-site |website=Campendium |publisher=Campendium Inc. |access-date=17 April 2022}}{{cite web |title=Porcupine Hills Provincial Park |url=https://sites.google.com/site/porcupinehillsparks/ |website=Sites.google |publisher=Google |access-date=17 April 2022}}
Whitefish Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in Manitoba on Whitefish Lake, which is upstream along Whitefish Creek, a tributary of Woody River. The park has 40-unserviced campsites and lake access for fishing and other watersports.{{cite web |title=Whitefish Lake Provincial Park |url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/parks/park-maps-and-locations/western/whitefish.html |website=gov.mb |publisher=Government of Manitoba |access-date=18 April 2022}}
Fish species
See also
- List of rivers of Saskatchewan
- List of rivers of Manitoba
- Tourism in Saskatchewan
- Hudson Bay drainage basin
- Wood River, a river of a similar name in south-western Saskatchewan