List of longest rivers of Canada

Among the longest rivers of Canada are 47 streams of at least 600 km (370 mi). In the case of some rivers such as the Columbia, the length listed in the table below is solely that of the main stem. In the case of others such as the Mackenzie, it is the combined lengths of the main stem and one or more upstream tributaries, as noted. Excluded from the list are rivers such as the Dauphin, a short connecting link between lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg, with main stems of 100 km (62 mi) or less. Also excluded are rivers such as the Mississippi, the main stems of which do not enter Canada even though some of their tributaries do.

Rivers on this list shown on a map of Canada

The Mackenzie River is the longest stream in Canada if measured from its mouth on the Beaufort Sea to the headwaters of the Finlay River, a major upstream tributary. The main stem, a much shorter segment of the Mackenzie, is marked in dark blue.

Nine rivers in this list cross international boundaries or form them. Four—the Yukon, Columbia, Porcupine, and Kootenay—begin in Canada and flow into the United States. Five—the Milk, Pend d'Oreille, Saint Lawrence, Red, and Saint John—begin in the United States and flow into Canada. Of these, the Milk and the Kootenay cross the international border twice, the Milk leaving and then re-entering the United States, the Kootenay leaving and then re-entering Canada.^[1] The drainage basins of these nine rivers extend into both countries; in addition, the drainage basins of six others—the Fraser, Assiniboine, South Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Nelson, and Winnipeg—extend into the United States even though their main stems flow entirely within Canada.

Sources report hydrological quantities with varied precision. Biologist and author Ruth Patrick, describing a table of high-discharge rivers, wrote that data on discharge, drainage area, and length varied widely among authors whose works she consulted. "It seems", she said, "that the wisest course is to regard data tables such as the present one as showing the general ranks of rivers, and not to place too much importance on minor (10–20%) differences in figures."^[2]

Table

The primary source for data in the table below is The Atlas of Canada; other sources are as noted. Discharge refers to the flow at the mouth except as noted. U.S. states appear in italics. Abbreviations are as follows: "km" for "kilometre", "mi" for "mile", "s" for "second", "m" for "metre", and "ft" for "foot".

Key
† River is not entirely within Canada.
‡ Watershed is not entirely within Canada.

Longest rivers of Canada

#	Name	Mouth	Length[3]	Source[n 1]	Watershed area[3]	Discharge[3][5]	Provinces, states	Image
1	Mackenzie River	Beaufort Sea 69°21′59″N 133°54′10″W[6]	4,241 km 2,635 mi [n 2]	Thutade Lake 56°44′00″N 127°31′00″W	1,805,200 km2 697,000 mi2	9,700 m3/s 340,000 ft3/s	Northwest Territories
2	Yukon River	Bering Sea 62°35′55″N 164°48′00″W[8]	3,185 km 1,979 mi †[n 3]	Teslin Lake 59°37′00″N 132°09′00″W	839,200 km2 324,000 mi2 ‡[n 4]	6,340 m3/s 224,000 ft3/s[9]	British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska
3	Saint Lawrence River	Gulf of Saint Lawrence 49°40′00″N 64°30′00″W[10]	3,058 km 1,900 mi †[n 5]	Seven Beaver Lake 47°30′04″N 91°49′51″W[11]	1,344,200 km2 519,000 mi2 ‡[n 6]	9,850 m3/s 348,000 ft3/s	Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Quebec
4	Nelson River	Hudson Bay 57°04′05″N 92°30′08″W[12]	2,575 km 1,600 mi [n 7]	Bow Glacier 51°40′00″N 116°27′00″W	892,300 km2 344,500 mi2 ‡[n 8]	2,370 m3/s 84,000 ft3/s	Manitoba
5	Slave River	Great Slave Lake 61°18′00″N 113°40′04″W[13]	2,338 km 1,453 mi [n 9]	Thutade Lake 56°44′00″N 127°31′00″W	616,400 km2 238,000 mi2	3,437 m3/s 121,400 ft3/s[14]	Alberta, Northwest Territories
6	Columbia River	Pacific Ocean 46°14′39″N 124°03′29″W[15]	2,000 km 1,243 mi †[n 10]	Columbia Lake 50°09′53″N 115°50′19″W	671,300 km2 259,200 mi2 ‡[n 11]	7,730 m3/s 273,000 ft3/s[16]	British Columbia, Washington, Oregon
7	Saskatchewan River	Lake Winnipeg 53°11′20″N 99°15′18″W[17]	1,939 km 1,205 mi [n 12]	Bow Glacier 51°40′00″N 116°27′00″W	335,900 km2 129,700 mi2 ‡[n 13]	700 m3/s 25,000 ft3/s	Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
8	Peace River	Slave River 59°00′01″N 111°24′47″W[18]	1,923 km 1,195 mi [n 14]	Thutade Lake 56°44′00″N 127°31′00″W	302,500 km2 116,800 mi2	2,118 m3/s 74,800 ft3/s[19]	British Columbia, Alberta
9	Churchill River (Hudson Bay)	Hudson Bay 58°47′45″N 94°12′15″W[20]	1,609 km 1,000 mi [n 15]	Churchill Lake 55°49′02″N 108°22′52″W	281,300 km2 108,600 mi2	1,200 m3/s 42,000 ft3/s	Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
10	South Saskatchewan River	Saskatchewan River 53°15′00″N 105°05′02″W[21]	1,392 km 865 mi [n 16]	Bow Glacier 51°40′00″N 116°27′00″W	146,100 km2 56,400 mi2 ‡[n 17]	280 m3/s 9,900  ft3/s	Alberta, Saskatchewan
11	Fraser River	Strait of Georgia 49°07′00″N 123°10′59″W[22]	1,375 km 854 mi	Fraser Pass 52°32′01″N 118°19′39″W	233,100 km2 90,000 mi2 ‡[n 18]	3,540 m3/s 125,000 ft3/s	British Columbia
12	North Saskatchewan River	Saskatchewan River 53°15′00″N 105°05′02″W[23]	1,287 km 800 mi	Saskatchewan Glacier 52°14′33″N 117°09′05″W	122,800 km2 47,400 mi2	245 m3/s 8,700 ft3/s	Alberta, Saskatchewan
13	Ottawa River	Saint Lawrence River 45°33′59″N 74°23′11″W[24]	1,271 km 790 mi	Laurentian Mountains 47°36′00″N 75°43′40″W	146,300 km2 56,500 mi2	1,950 m3/s 69,000 ft3/s	Quebec, Ontario
14	Athabasca River	Lake Athabasca 58°59′05″N 110°51′23″W[25]	1,231 km 765 mi	Columbia Icefield 52°11′14″N 117°28′27″W	95,300 km2 36,800 mi2 [n 19]	783 m3/s 27,700 ft3/s[26]	Alberta
15	Liard River	Mackenzie River 61°50′55″N 121°18′35″W[27]	1,115 km 693 mi[28]	Saint Cyr Range 61°11′08″N 131°45′36″W	277,100 km2 107,000 mi2	2,446 m3/s 86,400 ft3/s[29]	Yukon, British Columbia, Northwest Territories
16	Assiniboine River	Red River 49°53′09″N 97°07′41″W[30]	1,070 km 660 mi	near Hazel Dell 52°15′53″N 103°08′48″W	182,000 km2 70,000 mi2 ‡[n 20]	45 m3/s 1,600 ft3/s	Saskatchewan, Manitoba	A muddy river floods a wooded urban area with boat docks and riverside seating.
17	Milk River	Missouri River 48°03′26″N 106°19′07″W[31]	1,005 km 625 mi †[n 21]	Blackfeet Indian Reservation 48°51′20″N 113°01′10″W[31]	61,200 km2 23,600 mi2 ‡[n 22]	18.9 m3/s 670 ft3/s[33]	Alberta, Montana
18	Albany River	James Bay 52°17′00″N 81°30′59″W[34]	982 km 610 mi [n 23]	Cat Lake 51°45′00″N 91°53′00″W	135,200 km2 52,200 mi2	251 m3/s 8,900 ft3/s [n 24]	Ontario
19	Severn River	Hudson Bay 56°03′22″N 87°34′36″W[36]	982 km 610 mi [n 25]	Deer Lake 52°37′00″N 94°40′00″W	102,800 km2 39,700 mi2	645 m3/s 22,800 ft3/s [n 26]	Ontario
20	Back River	Chantrey Inlet 67°16′00″N 95°15′00″W[39]	974 km 605 mi [n 27]	near Aylmer Lake 64°25′00″N 108°27′00″W	106,500 km2 41,120 mi2	612 m3/s 21,600 ft3/s[40]	Northwest Territories, Nunavut
21	Thelon River	Baker Lake 64°16′30″N 96°04′35″W[41]	904 km 562 mi	Lynx Lake 62°20′36″N 106°02′18″W	142,400 km2 55,000 mi2	840 m3/s 30,000 ft3/s	Northwest Territories, Nunavut
22	La Grande River	James Bay 53°50′03″N 79°03′20″W[42]	893 km 555 mi	Lac Nichicun 53°12′30″N 70°56′00″W	97,600 km2 37,700 mi2	1,690 m3/s 60,000 ft3/s	Quebec
23	Red River	Lake Winnipeg 50°23′47″N 96°48′39″W[43]	890 km 545 mi †[n 28]	Wahpeton and Breckinridge 46°15′52″N 96°35′55″W[45]	287,500 km2 111,000 mi2 ‡[n 29]	236 m3/s 8,300 ft3/s[46]	North Dakota, Minnesota, Manitoba
24	Koksoak River	Ungava Bay 58°32′11″N 68°09′29″W[47]	874 km 543 mi [n 30]	Lake Sevestre 52°32′23″N 68°01′15″W	133,400 km2 51,500 mi2	2,800 m3/s 99,000 ft3/s	Quebec
25	Churchill River (Atlantic)	Lake Melville 53°20′58″N 60°10′39″W[48]	856 km 532 mi [n 31]	Ashuanipi Lake 52°59′20″N 66°14′28″W	79,800 km2 30,800 mi2	1,580 m3/s 56,000 ft3/s	Newfoundland and Labrador
26	Coppermine River	Coronation Gulf 67°49′09″N 115°03′50″W[49]	845 km 525 mi	Lac de Gras 64°35′02″N 111°11′24″W	50,800 km2 19,600 mi2[50]	262 m3/s 9,300 ft3/s [n 32]	Northwest Territories, Nunavut
27	Dubawnt River	Thelon River 64°32′59″N 100°06′00″W[51]	842 km 523 mi	Abitau Lake 60°21′00″N 107°09′00″W	57,500 km2 22,200 mi2	366 m3/s 12,900 ft3/s [n 33]	Northwest Territories, Nunavut
28	Winnipeg River	Lake Winnipeg 50°37′54″N 96°19′13″W[53]	813 km 505 mi [n 34]	Trap Lake 49°12′42″N 90°26′58″W	135,800 km2 52,400 mi2 ‡[n 35]	850 m3/s 30,000 ft3/s[54]	Ontario, Manitoba
29	Kootenay River	Columbia River 49°19′0″N 117°39′0″W[55]	780 km 485 mi †	Beaverfoot Range 51°03′21″N 116°21′55″W	50,300 km2 19,400 mi2 ‡[n 36]	850 m3/s 30,000 ft3/s	British Columbia, Montana, Idaho
30	Nottaway River	James Bay 51°22′33″N 78°55′45″W	776 km 482 mi [n 37]	Lake Gilles 48°07′00″N 75°38′00″W	65,800 km2 25,400 mi2	1,190 m3/s 42000 ft3/s	Quebec
31	Rupert River	James Bay 51°29′35″N 78°45′01″W[56]	763 km 474 mi [n 38]	north of Lake Mistassini 52°13′11″N 71°32′19″W	43,400 km2 16,800 mi2	900 m3/s 32,000 ft3/s	Quebec
32	Eastmain River	James Bay 52°14′30″N 78°33′38″W[57]	756 km 470 mi	Lac Bréhat 52°31′30″N 70°52′00″W	46,400 km2 17,900 mi2	930 m3/s 33,000 ft3/s	Quebec
33	Attawapiskat River	James Bay 52°57′12″N 82°17′43″W[58]	748 km 465 mi [n 39]	Attawapiskat Lake 52°10′00″N 87°37′00″W	50,500 km2 19,500 mi2	263 m3/s 9,300 ft3/s [n 40]	Ontario
34	Kazan River	Thelon River 64°02′30″N 95°29′04″W[60]	732 km 455 mi [n 41]	Ennadai Lake 60°55′00″N 101°20′00″W	71,500 km2 27,600 mi2	540 m3/s 19,000 ft3/s	Nunavut
35	Red Deer River	South Saskatchewan River 50°58′05″N 110°00′00″W[61]	724 km 450 mi	Sawback Range 51°32′19″N 116°02′46″W	45,100 km2 17,400 mi2	70 m3/s 2,500 ft3/s	Alberta
36	Great Whale River	Hudson Bay 55°15′58″N 77°47′04″W[62]	724 km 450 mi	Lake Saint-Lusson 54°49′30″N 70°32′17″W	42,700 km2 16,500 mi2	680 m3/s 24,000 ft3/s	Quebec
37	Porcupine River	Yukon River 66°35′42″N 145°18′32″W[63]	721 km 448 mi †	Ogilvie Mountains 66°32′10″N 138°22′16″W	117,900 km2 45,500 mi2 ‡[n 42]	414 m3/s 14,600 ft3/s[64]	Yukon, Alaska
38	Pend d'Oreille River	Columbia River 48°59′59″N 117°37′00″W[65]	703 km 437 mi †[n 43]	near Butte 46°04′32″N 112°27′56″W[69]	66,900 km2 25,800 mi2 ‡[n 44]	820 m3/s 29,000 ft3/s[70]	Idaho, Washington, British Columbia
39	Hay River	Great Slave Lake 60°51′50″N 115°44′04″W[71]	702 km 436 mi	near Zama Lake 58°14′14″N 118°51′34″W	48,200 km2 18,600 mi2	113 m3/s 4,000 ft3/s[72]	Alberta, Northwest Territories	A medium-sized river flows in bright sunlight through a forest.
40	Saguenay River	Saint Lawrence River 48°07′59″N 69°43′59″W[73]	698 km 434 mi [n 45]	near Otish Mountains 52°16′17″N 70°48′38″W	88,000 km2 34,000 mi2	1,750 m3/s 62,000 ft3/s	Quebec
41	Anderson River	Beaufort Sea 69°43′00″N 129°00′09″W[74]	692 km 430 mi	northwest of Great Bear Lake 66°57′00″N 124°36′00″W		142 m3/s 5,000 ft3/s [n 46]	Northwest Territories
42	Peel River	Mackenzie River 67°41′49″N 134°31′58″W[75]	684 km 425 mi [n 47]	Gill Lake 65°19′00″N 139°49′00″W	73,600 km2 28,400 mi2	103 m3/s 3,600 ft3/s[76]	Yukon, Northwest Territories
43	Saint John River	Bay of Fundy 45°16′00″N 66°04′00″W	673 km 418 mi †	Somerset County 46°33′47″N 69°53′05″W	55,200 km2 21,300 mi2 ‡[n 48]	1,130 m3/s 40,000 ft3/s	Maine, New Brunswick
44	Stewart River	Yukon River 63°17′30″N 139°24′42″W[77]	644 km 400 mi	Selwyn Mountains 64°06′35″N 131°42′25″W	51,000 km2 20,000 mi2	675 m3/s 23,800 ft3/s[78]	Yukon
45	Horton River	Franklin Bay 69°56′00″N 126°48′09″W[79]	618 km 384 mi	Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut 67°51′00″N 120°33′00″W	26,680 km2 10,300 mi2[80]		Nunavut, Northwest Territories
46	English River	Winnipeg River 50°12′04″N 95°00′12″W[81]	615 km 382 mi	near Marmion Lake 49°06′00″N 91°16′00″W	52,300 km2 20,200 mi2		Ontario
47	Pelly River	Yukon River 62°46′46″N 137°20′13″W[82]	608 km 378 mi	Mackenzie Mountains 62°49′00″N 129°53′00″W	51,000 km2 20,000 mi2	410 m3/s 14,000 ft3/s	Yukon

See also

• List of rivers of Canada