Nipekamew River | |
Map: | Churchill river hudson basin map.png |
Map Size: | 250px |
Pushpin Map: | Saskatchewan#Canada |
Pushpin Map Size: | 250px |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the mouth in Saskatchewan |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | Canada |
Subdivision Type2: | Province |
Source1: | Nipekamew Lake |
Source1 Coordinates: | 54.4658°N -104.9885°W |
Mouth: | Lac la Ronge |
River System: | Churchill River |
Nipekamew River[1] is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is Nipekamew Lake at the north-western edge of the Cub Hills[2] and its mouth is in Nipekamew Bay at the southern shore of Lac la Ronge. From the northern tip of Nipekamew Lake, the river travels from south to north through muskeg and boreal forest[3] en route to Lac la Ronge. Lake la Ronge empties north into the Churchill River through Rapid River.
Nipekamew River is in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District and the only highway to cross the river is Highway 165. Highway 912 parallels the river from Nipekamew Lake to Wapawekka Lake and Lac la Ronge. Adjacent to the mouth of the river is Fox Point Indian Reserve.
The upper reaches of the river's watershed include East Trout Lake, tributaries from the hills of Clarence-Steepbank Lakes Provincial Park,[4] Nipekamew Creek, and tributaries from the Cub Hills.[5]
Along the course of river are the provincially protected Nipekamew Sand Cliffs.[6] The sand cliffs are made up of layers of compacted sand, pebble, and clay that were deposited there 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period.[7] Erosion by the Nipekamew River exposed the cliffs. The cliffs can be accessed from a 1.5km (00.9miles) hiking trail that starts off of Highway 165.[8] [9]