Battle River is a river in central Alberta and western Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River. The Battle River flows for 570 km and drains a total area of 30300 km2. Its mean discharge at the mouth is 10 m³/s.

History

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

Course

The headwaters of Battle River is Battle Lake in west-central Alberta, east of Winfield. The river flows through Alberta and 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, about 15 km southwest of Forestburg. The Fabyan Trestle Bridge also spans the river.

Tributaries

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.