title: Elk River (Alberta)
text: # Elk River (Alberta)
  
  The Elk River is a short river rising in the eastern portion of the Alberta foothills. The river begins south of the ghost town of Coalspur and heads east before draining into the Brazeau Reservoir created by the Brazeau Dam on the Brazeau River, a tributary of the North Saskatchewan River.
  
  The river follows the Elk River Road for much of its course. The Elk River Provincial Recreation Area is also located on the river.
  
  ## Physical characteristics
  
  Alberta Environment, a Ministry of the Government of Alberta, undertook a survey of the Elk River in the 1980s. The following data was generated from the survey:
  
  Reach number 1
  
  * Terrain Surrounding Valley: Rolling hills, ground moraine
  
  Valley characteristics
  
  * Description: Wide, stream cut valley
  * Terraces: 2 fragmentary levels
  
  Valley Flat
  
  * Width: 750 m
  * Description: Broad alluvial floodplain occasionally marked by oxbow cutoffs
  
  River Channel
  
  * Pattern: Irregular meanders
  * Islands: None
  * Bar type: Point bars
  * Bed material: Sand with local gravel
  * Bank material: Sand and gravel overlain by silt
  
  Reach number 2
  
  * Terrain surrounding valley: Rolling hills, ground moraine
  
  Valley characteristics
  
  * Description: Broad glacial spillway channel now occupied by a smaller underfit stream
  * Terraces: None
  
  Valley flat
  
  * Width: 500 m
  * Description: Broad alluvial floodplain marked by numerous cutoffs
  
  River channel
  
  * Pattern: Irregular to tortuous meanders
  * Islands: None
  * Bar type: Point bars
  * Bed material: Sand with local gravel
  * Bank material: Sand and gravel overlain by silt, occasional till where channel is confined
  
  Reach number 3
  
  * Terrain surrounding valley: Rolling hills, fluted ground moraine
  
  Valley characteristics
  
  * Description: Wide, stream cut valley
  * Terraces: None
  
  Valley flat
  
  * Width: 400 m
  * Description: Alluvial valley marked by oxbow cutoffs
  
  River channel
  
  * Pattern: Irregular meanders
  * Islands: None
  * Bar type: Point bars, side bars
  * Bed material: Sand with local gravel
  * Bank material: Sand, gravel, and till
  
  Reach number 4
  
  * Terrain surrounding valley: Fluted ground moraine, some outwash
  
  Valley characteristics
  
  * Description: Narrow stream cut valley
  * Terraces: None
  
  Valley flat
  
  * Width: >100 m
  * Description: Highly variable
  
  River channel
  
  * Pattern: Irregular
  * Islands: None
  * Bar type: Point bars, side bars
  * Bed material: Sand with local gravel
  * Bank material: Sand, gravel, and till
  
  Reach number 5
  
  * Terrain surrounding valley: Rolling hills, ground moraine
  
  Valley characteristics
  
  * Description: Narrow stream cut valley
  * Terraces: None
  
  Valley flat
  
  * Width: >100 m
  * Description: Fragmentary
  
  River channel
  
  * Pattern: Irregular to sinuous
  * Islands: None
  * Bar type: Side bars
  * Bed material: Gravel
  * Bank material: Gravel, outwash, and till
  
  Reach number 6
  
  * Terrain surrounding valley: Rolling upland, ground moraine
  
  Valley characteristics
  
  * Description: Wide, stream cut valley
  * Terraces: None
  
  Valley flat
  
  * Width: 400 m
  * Description: Wide alluvial flat marked by oxbow cutoffs
  
  River channel
  
  * Pattern: Tortuous meanders
  * Islands: None
  * Bar type: Point bars
  * Bed material: Sand
  * Bank material: Sand overlain by silt
  