The Mackenzie River reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Mackenzie River

The Mackenzie River originates in Great Slave Lake and flows north into the Arctic Ocean. It is the longest river in Canada and part of the second longest river system in North America at 4241 km in length. The Mississippi-Missouri system is longer.

The Mackenzie River system includes: Great Bear Lake Great Slave Lake Lake Athabasca and the following rivers: Arctic Red Athabasca Liard Peace Slave South Nahanni

The lower Mackenzie River at the end of August. Source: NASA

The large marshy delta of the Mackenzie River provides habitat for migrating Snow Geese, Tundra Swans and Brant as well as breeding habitat for other waterfowl. The estuary is a calving area for Beluga whales.

The river is navigable for approximately five months of the year. It freezes over in October and the ice on the river breaks up in May. During the winter months, sections of the river are used as an ice road.

The Mackenzie was named after Alexander Mackenzie who travelled the river while trying to reach the Pacific Ocean. The divide between the Mackenzie basin and the basin of the Yukon River to the west forms the boundary between Northwest Territories amd Yukon.

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