Cariboo River

Cariboo River
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Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Tributaries
- left	Matthew River, Little River
- right	Isaac River
Source	Cariboo Mountains
- elevation	2,012 m (6,601 ft)
- coordinates
Mouth	Quesnel River
- location	Quesnel Forks, Cariboo
- elevation	642 m (2,106 ft)
- coordinates
Basin	3,260 km2 (1,259 sq mi)
Discharge	for mouth
- average	93.4 m3/s (3,298 cu ft/s)
- max	626 m3/s (22,107 cu ft/s)
- min	7.36 m3/s (260 cu ft/s)

The Cariboo River is a tributary of the Quesnel River, one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through the Cariboo region of the British Columbia Interior, southeast of Prince George. Above Cariboo Lake it was formerly known as the Swamp River. The name was adopted, and replaced the former names, in 1936 in association with Cariboo Lake.

Course

The Cariboo River's headwaters flow from many large ice fields in the Cariboo Mountains. It flows generally west, picking up numerous tributary streams, many also draining ice fields. After entering Bowron Lake Provincial Park, the Cariboo is joined by the Isaac River from the north, after which the Cariboo widens into Lanezi Lake, south of the Mowdish Range. At its western end Lanezi Lake empties into Sandy Lake, from which the Cariboo River flows first northwest, then abruptly south. It leaves Bowron Lake Provincial Park. The Matthew River then joins from the east. Farther south the Little River also joins from the east, after which the Cariboo River flows through Cariboo Lake. Cariboo River Provincial Park occupies the river valley north of Cariboo Lake. The Cariboo River flows south from Cariboo Lake, then turns west and empties into the Quesnel River at Quesnel Forks, northwest of Likely.

See also

• List of tributaries of the Fraser River