Fraser (river)

Geography

Fraser is located in the south of the Colombia-British, with the Canada. It takes its source in the provincial park of the Mount-Robson, more the high mountain of the chain of the Canadian Rocheuses. The river has a 1370 km length, which makes of them the greatest river of the province. It is thrown finally in the Ocean Pacifique, very close to the Vancouver Island, in the strait of Georgia. While crossing it of all his length, one can discover all the diversity of the landscape of the province. Indeed, it crosses valleys, mountains and hills… Its basin has a surface of 220.000 km ².

Fraser which one knows today is formed thanks to many factors going back to several million years. The river is located in the physiographical area of the cordillera of the west, mainly made up of Sedimentary rock very old. Its impressive flow (approx. 7000 cubic meters a second in spring) is mainly due to the snow melt in top of the mountains. In winter, this one goes down to 850 cubic meters a second.

The river contains many silt, which causes its milky aspect.

Being given its impressive length, Fraser crosses several very distinct ecosystems. More than 300 species of migratory birds make a halt in the Delta of Fraser.

History

The river was discovered for the first time in 1793, by Alexander Mackenzie. It bears now the name of Simon Fraser, a merchant of furs who explored the river in 1808.

The Fraser river now forms part of the Réseau of the rivers of the Canadian inheritance.

Importance of the river

This river contains a salmon concentration higher than any other river in the world. It crosses the vast wet grounds of the Colombia-British, which are used as place of nesting for the birds of shore.

Fraser counts many rapids and canyons, which were formerly cursed by the navigators, but who today are very appreciated by the amateurs of descent out of waters running.

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