The Qu'Appelle River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba that flows east from Lake Diefenbaker in south-western Saskatchewan to join the Assiniboine River in Manitoba, just south of Lake of the Prairies, near the village of St. Lazare. It is in a region called the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, which extends throughout three Canadian provinces and five U.S. states. It is also within Palliser's Triangle and the Great Plains ecoregion.

With the construction of the Qu'Appelle River Dam and the Gardiner Dam upstream, water flow was significantly increased and regulated. Most of the Qu'Appelle's present flow is actually water diverted from the South Saskatchewan River.

Upper and lower watersheds According to the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, the Qu'Appelle Valley is made up of two watersheds with the dividing point being Craven Dam on the east side of Craven.

Lower Qu'Appelle Watershed The Lower Qu'Appelle Valley is in the south-eastern part of Saskatchewan and covers an area of .Water Security Agency. (2013). Lower Qu'Appelle River Watershed Plan. Retrieved from https://www.wsask.ca/Global/Water%20Info/Watershed%20Planning/Lower%20Qu%27Appelle%20Watershed/Lower%20Qu%27Appelle%20River%20Watershed%20Plan%20-%20Final.pdf The Lower Qu'Appelle Watershed begins at the Craven Dam east of the village of Craven and extends to the Manitoba border. In the Lower Qu'Appelle Valley, the river flows through six major lakes. From west to east are the Pasqua, Echo, Mission, Katepwa, Crooked, and Round Lakes. Major tributaries in this watershed are Loon, Jumping Deer, Pheasant, and Kapsovar Creeks. Lesser tributaries include the Pearl, Indianhead, Redfox, Ekapo, Cutarm, and Scissor Creeks.

The Wascana and Upper Qu’Appelle Watersheds The Wascana and Upper Qu’Appelle Watersheds are made up of four sub-basins and the Moose Jaw River Watershed. The four sub-basins total about and the Moose Jaw River Watershed adds a further . The total combined drainage basin for the Upper Qu'Appelle Watershed is .

The four sub-basins include the Lanigan-Manitou Sub-basin, Wascana Creek Sub-basin, Last Mountain Lake Sub-basin, and the Upper Qu'Appelle Sub-basin. The Upper Qu'Appelle Sub-basin includes all of the remaining land not included in the other basins all the way up to Qu'Appelle River Dam.

The Upper Qu'Appelle River is fed by several rivers and creeks which include Ridge Creek, Iskwao Creek, High Hill Creek, Deer Run Creek, Wascana Creek, Boggy, and Flying Creeks, Last Mountain Creek, and Moose Jaw River. There are two major lakes along the course of the river in the Upper Qu'Appelle Sub-basin: Buffalo Pound Lake and Eyebrow Lake.Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. (2008). Upper Qu'Appelle River and Wascana Creek Watersheds Advisory Committees: Upper Qu’Appelle River and Wascana Creek Watersheds Source Water Protection Plan. Retrieved from https://www.wsask.ca/Global/Water%20Info/Watershed%20Planning/Upper%20Qu'Appelle%20River%20and%20Wascana%20Creek%20Watersheds%20Source%20Water%20Protection%20Plan.pdf Another major lake, Last Mountain Lake, flows into the Upper Qu'Appelle River through Last Mountain Creek at Craven.

Description The river flows into several lakes in south-eastern Saskatchewan, including: Eyebrow Lake, Buffalo Pound Lake to the north of Moose Jaw, which supplies water to Moose Jaw, Regina, and the Mosaic Potash Mine at Belle Plaine; The Fishing Lakes (Pasqua, Echo, Mission, and Katepwa lakes) to the north-east of Regina; and, farther downstream, to the north of Grenfell and Broadview: Crooked Lake and Round Lake.

Assorted tributary coulees drain into the Qu'Appelle Valley at various junctures along its course, including Echo Creek at Fort Qu'Appelle, Moose Jaw River, Wascana Creek, Loon Creek, Jumping Deer Creek, Pheasant Creek, Kaposvar Creek, and Last Mountain Creek.

93% of the land in the Qu'Appelle Rivershed is used for agriculture purposes.Kulshreshtha, S., Nagy, C. and Bogdan, A. (2012) Present and Future Water Demand in the Qu’Appelle River Basin. Available at https://www.wsask.ca/Global/Lakes%20and%20Rivers/Provincial%20Forecast/2014/QuAppelle%20Water%20Demand%20Study.pdf

Last Mountain Lake, the largest natural lake in southern Saskatchewan (Lake Diefenbaker is larger but is a man-made reservoir), drains into the Qu'Appelle near the town of Craven, through Last Mountain Creek.

History

In 1787, the North West Company established a fur trading post at Fort Espérance on the lower river. After it was abandoned in 1819, the Hudson's Bay Company established a post at Fort Qu'Appelle in 1852 immediately adjacent to the site of what became the town of the same name.

The Qu'Appelle River and Valley derive their name from a Cree legend of a spirit that travels up and down it. The aboriginal people told the North West Company trader Daniel Harmon in 1804 that they often heard the voice of a human calling, "", meaning "What is calling?" ("" in French). They would respond, and the call would echo back (there is a strong echo phenomenon at Lebret). The name of the river in the Cree language is .

Pauline Johnson, a half-Mohawk poet, learned of the legend and elaborated upon it with Victorian sentiment. In her version, a young Cree swain heard his name while crossing one of the lakes and replied, "Who calls?" Only his echo could be heard (hence Echo Lake), and he realized it had been his bride-to-be calling out his name at the instant of her death.

Communities

While there are no large population centres along the course of the river, only small towns, Indian reserves, villages, and resort villages, within the river's watershed is the province's second largest city and capital, Regina. St. Lazare is the only community on the river in Manitoba and it sits at the confluence of the Assiniboine and Qu'Appelle Rivers.

Reserve lands The Qu'Appelle Valley is in Treaty 4 territory and is home to the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, and Nakota peoples who have inhabited the last 11,000 years.Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. (2009). First Nations in Saskatchewan. Retrieved from http://www.otc.ca/ckfinder/userfiles/files/fnl_1100100020617_eng.pdf However, due to acts such as the Indian Act of 1876, Indigenous peoples were forced to live on reserves. The Indian reserves located within the Qu'Appelle Valley include Piapot, Pasqua, Muscowpetung, Standing Buffalo, Cowessess, Kahkewistahaw, Sakimay, and Ochapowace.

Towns and villages There are two towns and two villages in the valley along the course of the river. The first town within the valley is Lumsden with a total population of 1,824. The second town in the Qu'Appelle Valley is Fort Qu'Appelle with a total population of 2,027. Located approximately north-east of Regina, the town of Fort Qu'Appelle is located between Echo Lake and Mission Lake.Mclennan, D. (2005). Fort Qu’Appelle. In The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Center. This town is of historical significance as it acted as a confluence between major trails that were positioned across the North-West Territories and as it was the place of signing for Treaty 4. The first village within the Qu'Appelle Valley is Craven, which is north-east of Regina at the junction of Highways 20 and 99. This village is home to the Country Thunder Music Festival—previously known as the Craven Country Jamboree. Although the population of Craven year-round is 214, when the Craven Country Jamboree is on, it becomes as populated as the biggest cities in Saskatchewan. The second village within the Qu'Appelle Valley is Tantallon, which has a total population of 91. This village is located off of Highway 8, and is known for its large statue of a whitetail deer.

Buffalo Pound Lake The residential areas of Buffalo Pound Lake consist of multiple communities made up of both seasonal and year-round houses and cabins.Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management. (2001). Buffalo Pound Lake Land Use and Resource Management Plan. Retrieved from http://publications.gov.sk.ca/redirect.cfm?p=77394&i=86729. Resort villages consist of North Grove, Sun Valley, and South Lake. Hamlets on Buffalo Pound Lake consist of Parkview and Sand Point Beach.

Fishing Lakes The residential areas of the four Fishing Lakes consist of multiple communities made up of both seasonal and year-round houses and cabins.Calling Lakes Planning District. (2013). Calling Lakes District Plan. Retrieved from http://www.4callinglakes.ca/public/images/Community_Planning/2013_CLDPC_District_Plan%20.pdf These communities consist of both resort villages and hamlets and are spread out among the four lakes. The resort villages are Fort San, and B-Say-Tah, and multiple communities representing the District of Katepwa. In addition to the resort villages, the organized hamlets consist of Pasqua Lake and Taylor Beach.

Crooked and Round Lakes The residential areas of Crooked Lake are Sunset Beach, Moose Bay, Exner Twins Bay, Lakeside Beach, Melville Beach, Grenfell Beach, and Greenspot.Rural Municipality of Grayson no. 184. (2004). Zoning Bylaw Maps. Retrieved from http://nebula.wsimg.com/93c828c11b9e3f4862256df25e84c5d5?AccessKeyId=3F50147DD5CDBF0ADC14&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 East of Crooked Lake is Round Lake. The residential areas of Round Lake consist of two resort villages: Birds Point and West End.

Qu'Appelle Valley ecology

Ecosystems in the Qu'Appelle Valley The Qu'Appelle Valley is made up of three ecosystems: grasslands, forests and wetlands. The temperate grassland ecosystem is one of the world's most endangered ecosystems as it is often converted into farmland or developed for human expansion.Boles, D. (7 July 2018). Conservation area in Qu'Appelle Valley for wildlife corridor preservation. Retrieved from https://www.620ckrm.com/2018/07/07/nature-conservancy-of-canada-buys-land-near-craven/ Grasslands are dominated mostly by grass species and various herbs. Few tree types grow in grasslands and if they do they are stunted due to the variability of moisture and temperature. Plants must have high tolerance to drought due to the low and varying precipitation. Roots of these plants grow deep into the ground in order to connect to the groundwater in the soil and reduce erosion. Wetlands in the valley ecosystem provide food and habitat for animals and also enhance water quality by filtering out toxins, water pollutants, and over accumulation of nutrients. Wetlands store rain water and overflows from rivers in order to reduce flooding, while the groundwater supply is fed through the watershed.

The Manitoba portion of the Qu'Appelle River Valley is considered a biodiversity hotspot, supporting numerous nationally and provincially rare species.

Flora Forests of trembling aspen and green ash grow on the slopes of the Qu'Appelle Valley while grasslands grow on the south facing slope of the valley. There are rich wetlands and riparian vegetation, as well as hayfields and cultivated land on the valley floor. Bur oak mainly take up the eastern section of the valley appearing on the southern facing slopes.

Fauna

Aquatic species