The Bow River is a river in the Canadian province of Alberta.

The river's source is in the Bow Glacier and Bow Lake in the Rocky Mountains. It flows through Banff National Park, then the city of Calgary and continues on to form the South Saskatchewan River when the Bow joins with the Oldman River near Grassy Lake . Its total length is 623 kilometres.

This river is an important source of drinking water, water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. It also provides habitat for wildlife and opportunities for recreation such as fishing and boating.

Tributaries include the

• Pipestone
• Spray
• Cascade
• Kananaskis
• Ghost
• Elbow
• Highwood

The river got its name because trees grew along it which native peoples used to make bows.

External link

• http://www.brbc.ab.ca/aboutbas.asp Bow River Basin Council