Battle River
North Saskatchewan River drainage basin
Location of mouth in Saskatchewan Show map of Saskatchewan Battle River (Canada) Show map of Canada
Location
Country	Canada
Provinces	Alberta Saskatchewan
Physical characteristics
Source	Battle Lake
• location	Alberta
• coordinates	52°56′57″N 114°08′41″W / 52.94917°N 114.14472°W / 52.94917; -114.14472
• elevation	849 m (2,785 ft)
Mouth	North Saskatchewan River
• location	Battleford, Saskatchewan
• coordinates	52°42′42″N 108°15′13″W / 52.71167°N 108.25361°W / 52.71167; -108.25361
• elevation	463 m (1,519 ft)
Length	570 km (350 mi)
Basin size	30,300 km2 (11,700 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	10 m3/s (350 cu ft/s)
[1][2]

Battle River is a river in central Alberta and western Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River.^[3]

The Battle River flows for 570 kilometres (350 mi) and has a total drainage area of 30,300 km² (11,700 sq mi). The mean discharge is 10 m³/s at its mouth.^[4]

History

The river is said to be named for a battle that took place between the Cree and the Blackfoot.^[5]

Course

The headwaters of Battle River is Battle Lake in west-central Alberta, east of Winfield. The river meanders through Alberta eastward into Saskatchewan, where it discharges into the North Saskatchewan River at Battleford. Over its course, the river flows through Ponoka and by Hardisty and Fabyan within Alberta. Big Knife Provincial Park is situated on the south bank of the river west of Highway 855, approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Forestburg. The Fabyan Trestle Bridge crosses the river.

Tributaries

• Sunny Creek
• Wolf Creek
• Pigeon Lake Creek
• Stoney Creek
• Pipestone Creek
• Driedmeat Creek
• Meeting Creek
• Paintearth Creek
• Castor Creek
• Iron Creek
• Ribstone Creek

Battle Lake, Samson Lake, Driedmeat Lake, and Big Knife Lake are formed along the river, and numerous other lakes (such as Pigeon Lake, Coal Lake, Bittern Lake, Vernon Lake, Ernest Lake, and Soda Lake) lie in the Battle River hydrographic basin.