English River (Ontario)
Template:Short description {{#invoke:Other uses|otherX|places with the same name}} Template:Infobox river
The English River is a river in Kenora District and Thunder Bay District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.<ref name="CGNDB">Template:Cite cgndb</ref> It flows through Lac Seul to join the Winnipeg River at Tetu Lake as a right tributary.<ref name="AOCCourse">Template:Cite web Shows the course of the river on a topographic map.</ref> The river is in the Hudson Bay drainage basin, is Template:Convert long and has a drainage basin of Template:Convert.<ref name=Atlas>Template:Cite web</ref> Although there are several hydroelectric plants on this river, the English River upstream of Minnitaki Lake is notable as one of the few large river systems in northwestern Ontario with a natural flow and without any upstream source of pollution.<ref name="Emgmt">Template:Cite web</ref> It is the fourth longest river entirely in Ontario.Template:Cn
There is also a settlement on the river called English River,<ref>Template:Cite cgndb</ref> located where Highway 17 crosses the river at its confluence with the Scotch River, along with a nearby railway point of the same name, constructed as part of the Canadian Pacific Railway transcontinental main line.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>
2 non-contiguous segments of the river are protected in 2 separate provincial parks: the East English River Provincial Park and West English River Provincial Park.
Geography
The English River forms in Thunder Bay District, just east of English River settlement on the boundary with Kenora District. Flowing north straddling the district boundary until Mattawa Lake, it continues northwest through Minnitaki Lake and passes Sioux Lookout, the largest town along its course. Through Lac Seul, it flows to its mouth at Tetu Lake on the Winnipeg River, which flows via the Nelson River to Hudson Bay.<ref name="AOCCourse" /> It flows through numerous lakes during its course.
The Frog Rapids are located at Frog Rapids Narrows (Template:Coord), a short narrows on the English River near Sioux Lookout between Abram Lake and Pelican Lake. The narrows, where Highway 72 across the English River, is formed by two peninsulas between the lakes.<ref>Template:Cite cgndb</ref><ref>Template:Cite cgndb</ref>
Tributaries
Settlements
Settlements along its course are (in upstream order):
Fauna
The English River is considered as one of the best fisheries in Ontario. Notable trophy fish species include walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and muskellunge.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At least 21 fish species have been identified, including sauger, yellow perch, rock bass, cisco, lake whitefish, and mooneye.<ref name="Emgmt"/><ref name="Wmgmt">Template:Cite web</ref>
Hydroelectricity
There are 4 hydro-electric generating stations on the English River, owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Installation | Capacity | Head | Turbine units | Year built | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ear Falls Generating Station | 17 MW | 4 | 1930 | At outlet of Lac Seul, side-by-side with Lac Seul GS | |
| Lac Seul Generating Station (also known in Ojibway as "Obishikokaang Waasiganikewigamig", meaning White Pine Narrows Generating Station) |
12.5 MW | Template:Convert | 1 | 2009 | Side-by-side with Ear Falls GS, built in partnership with the Lac Seul First Nation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Manitou Generating Station | 73 MW | 5 | 1956 | Template:Convert downstream of Ear Falls | |
| Caribou Falls Generating Station | 92 MW | 3 | 1958 |