the bell-irving river originates in the klappan range and an area known as the sacred headwaters, which gives rise to not just the bell-irving, but also the nass, skeena, and stikine rivers, as well as numerous tributary streams such as the klappan river, tumeka creek, and sweeney creek, tributaries of the klappan river; and the ningunsaw river, a tributary of the iskut river. the source of the unuk river is just southwest of the sacred headwaters area, rising near the source of treaty creek, a tributary of the bell-irving river. north of the bell-irving river lies the watersheds of the stikine river and its largest tributary, the iskut river. to the west of the bell-irving are the coast mountains and the headwaters of the unuk river, which flows southwest to the sea near ketchikan, alaska, and the bear river, which flows south to the head of portland canal at the community of stewart, british columbia.