Wabasca River is a river in northern Alberta

Northern Alberta

Northern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Its primary industry is oil and gas, with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca Oil Sands and Wabasca Area in the east of the region...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is a major tributary of the Peace River

Peace River (Canada)

The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...

.

It has a total drainage area of 36300 square kilometres (14,015.5 sq mi).

Course

It originates in the Sandy Lake, north-east of Slave Lake

Slave Lake, Alberta

Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada, in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 88....

, then flows in the South and North Wabasca Lake at the hamlet of Wabasca. It continues north through boreal forest and muskeg

Muskeg

Muskeg is an acidic soil type common in Arctic and boreal areas, although it is found in other northern climates as well. Muskeg is approximately synonymous with bogland but muskeg is the standard term in Western Canada and Alaska, while 'bog' is common elsewhere. The term is of Cree origin, maskek...

 and discharges in the Peace River

Peace River (Canada)

The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...

 west of Fort Vermilion

Fort Vermilion, Alberta

Fort Vermilion is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within Mackenzie County.Established in 1788, Fort Vermilion shares the title of oldest European settlement in Alberta with Fort Chipewyan. Fort Vermilion contains many modern amenities to serve its inhabitants as well as the surrounding rural...

.

Tributaries

• Willow River
• Muskwa River
  • Pastecho River
• Trout River
• Wood Buffalo River
• Woodenhouse River
• Liége River
• Panny River
• Loon River
• Muddy River
• Bear River

Wabasca Lakes

Two lakes, South and North Wabasca, are formed along the river. The South Wabasca Lake has a total surface of 61.6 square kilometres (23.8 sq mi), while the North Wabasca Lake has 99.4 square kilometres (38.4 sq mi). The community of Wabasca and Wabasca Airport

Wabasca Airport

Wabasca Airport, , is located southeast of Wabasca, Alberta, Canada.-External links:* on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory...

 are located between the two lakes.

The Wabasca 166 (a, b, c and d) indian reserve

Indian reserve

In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...

s of the Bigstone Cree

Cree

The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...

 First Nations

First Nations

First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...

are established on the shores of the lakes, and Tall Cree 173 of the Tallcree tribe is located close to the mouth of the river.