Elbow River

For the river in Minnesota, United States, see Elbow River (Minnesota).

Elbow River
Physical characteristics
Mouth	Bow River 51.04519°N 114.04126°W / 51.04519; -114.04126 (Elbow River mouth)
• elevation	1,040 m (3,410 ft)
Length	120 km (75 mi)

The Elbow River is a river located in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows from the Canadian Rockies to the city of Calgary, where it merges into the Bow River.

The Elbow River is popular among canoers, rafters, campers and hikers and runs through several features including Allen Bill Pond, Forgetmenot Pond, and Elbow Falls. Trout fishing on the Elbow is fair, but the scenery makes up for the slow fishing. As a mountain stream it lacks the high nutrient levels that support the prolific aquatic insect populations of other fly-fishing destination rivers; however, drop-and-pool sections of the river above Elbow Falls can contain relatively large (up to 35 cm) native cutthroat trout. Sections of the river are closed to fishing, or are "catch-and-release" waters.

The water flow of the Elbow River fluctuates significantly, and in June 2005 a flood occurred that was so severe (the heaviest in at least two centuries according to Alberta Government estimates) that the water flowed over the Glenmore Dam. Approximately 1,500 Calgarians living downstream were evacuated. Another flood has been reported, with tens of thousands of evacuations on June 21, 2013.

2013 floods

In June 2013, Alberta, Canada experienced heavy rainfall that triggered catastrophic flooding throughout much of the southern half of the province along the Bow, Elbow, Highwood and Oldman rivers and tributaries. A dozen municipalities in Southern Alberta declared local states of emergency on June 20 as water levels rose and numerous communities were placed under evacuation orders.

Course

Elbow Falls on the upper course

The Elbow River originates from Elbow Lake in the Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park in the Canadian Rockies, then continues through the Rocky Mountain foothills and flows into the hamlet of Bragg Creek. The Elbow River passes under Highway 22 and then travels through the rural community of Springbank and the Tsuu T'ina Nation 145 Indian reserve directly west of Calgary. The river enters the City of Calgary at the Weaselhead Flats, an artificial inland delta, and into the Glenmore Reservoir, one of Calgary's two chief sources of drinking water. From there, it flows northward through residential communities towards the city centre, is crossed by Macleod Trail, passes the Calgary Stampede grounds and finally joins the Bow River west of the Calgary Zoo.

Fort Calgary (the North-West Mounted Police post established in 1873 around which settlement in the Calgary area began) was located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers.

The river has a total length of 120 kilometres (75 mi), and drains an area of over 1,200 square kilometres (460 sq mi). From its origin in the Elbow Pass at approximately 2,100 metres (6,900 ft), it drops 1,060 metres (3,480 ft) at a 1% slope to its mouth at the Bow River, situated at an altitude of 1,040 m (3,410 ft).

Tributaries

• Canyon Creek
• Iron Creek
• Bragg Creek
• Harris Creek
• Pirmez Creek
• Millburn Creek
• Springbank Creek
• Cullen Creek
• May Creek
• Lott Creek

Gallery

• 
  Elbow Lake
• 
  Upper course in the Elbow Pass
• 
  Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary
• 
  Confluence with Bow River

See also

• List of rivers of Alberta

External links

• Alberta Sportfishing Regulations