Athabasca << `ath` uh BAS kuh, >> River, is one of the most important rivers in western Canada. It begins in the Rocky Mountains with water that melts from the Columbia Icefield and empties into Lake Athabasca. The Athabasca River, which forms the southernmost part of the Mackenzie River system, is 765 miles (1,231 kilometers) long and flows entirely within Alberta. The river drains about 36,800 square miles (95,300 square kilometers) of land. Oil-soaked sands along the Athabasca, north of Fort McMurray, form one of the largest known oil deposits. The river was an important transportation route used by fur traders during the 1700’s and 1800’s.
