White River (British Columbia)

The White River is a major headwaters tributary of the Kootenay River in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The river is 65 kilometres (40 mi) long and drains an isolated area of the Canadian Rockies east of the village of Canal Flats.

White River
Location
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
District	Kootenay Land District
Physical characteristics
Source	Sylvan Pass
• location	Height of the Rockies Provincial Park
• coordinates	50°31′05″N 115°13′40″W
• elevation	2,360 m (7,740 ft)
Mouth	Kootenay River
• location	25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of Canal Flats
• coordinates	50°21′10″N 115°37′32″W
• elevation	915 m (3,002 ft)
Length	65 km (40 mi)
Basin size	987 km2 (381 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	17.5 m3/s (620 cu ft/s)
• maximum	103 m3/s (3,600 cu ft/s)

It rises at Sylvan Pass, in a precipitous glacial basin in Height of the Rockies Provincial Park. It flows southwards through a deep valley along the Park Ranges, then swings southwest to receive the North Fork from the right. The river then makes a broad northwestward curve around the south flank of Flett Peak, passing Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park. It then flows generally north-northwest, emptying into the Kootenay on the left bank.

The White is a large, steep, fast flowing glacial river and can be up to 60 metres (200 ft) wide as it nears the mouth. The river's drainage basin of some 987 square kilometres (381 sq mi) consists almost entirely of virgin forest. There are no bridges, diversions or dams.

See also

• List of rivers of British Columbia