Pitt River 3068253 201374112 2008-03-27T18:05:47Z 24.84.217.115 {{Unreferenced|date=February 2007}} {{Geobox River <!-- *** Name section *** --> | name = | native_name = | other_name = | other_name1 = <!-- *** Image *** ---> | image = | image_size = | image_caption = <!-- *** Country etc. *** --> | country = Canada | country1 = | state = British Columbia | state1 = | region = | region1 = | district = Greater Vancouver Regional District | district1 = | city = Maple Ridge | city1 = <!-- *** Geography *** --> | length = | watershed = | discharge_location = | discharge_average = | discharge_max = | discharge_min = | discharge1_location = | discharge1_average = <!-- *** Source *** --> | source_name = | source_location = | source_district = | source_region = | source_state = | source_country = | source_lat_d = | source_lat_m = | source_lat_s = | source_lat_NS = | source_long_d = | source_long_m = | source_long_s = | source_long_EW = | source_elevation = | source_length = <!-- *** Mouth *** --> | mouth_name = | mouth_location = | mouth_district = | mouth_region = | mouth_state = | mouth_country = | mouth_lat_d = | mouth_lat_m = | mouth_lat_s = | mouth_lat_NS = | mouth_long_d = | mouth_long_m = | mouth_long_s = | mouth_long_EW = | mouth_elevation = <!-- *** Tributaries *** --> | tributary_left = | tributary_left1 = | tributary_right = | tributary_right1 = <!-- *** Free fields *** --> | free_name = | free_value = <!-- *** Map section *** --> | map = 578px-Vancouver_Island-reliefPittRiver.png | map_size = | map_caption = Location map of Pitt River }} {{For|the similarly named river in California|Pit River}} The '''Pitt River''' in [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]] is a large tributary of the [[Fraser River]], entering it a few miles upstream from [[New Westminster, British Columbia|New Westminster]] and about 25km ESE of [[Downtown (Vancouver)|downtown]] [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]]. The river, which begins in the [[Garibaldi Ranges]] of the [[Coast Mountains]], is in two sections above and below [[Pitt Lake]] and is on a more-or-less north-south course. Like the lake it is tidal in nature as the [[Fraser River|Fraser]]'s mouth is only a few miles downstream from their confluence. It was named for [[William Pitt the Younger]], who was [[British Prime Minister]] when [[Simon Fraser (explorer)|Simon Fraser]] came down the river now bearing his name in 1808. East of the lower Pitt River, 20km long, is the community of [[Pitt Meadows, British Columbia|Pitt Meadows]], while to its west are the suburb-cities of [[Port Coquitlam, British Columbia|Port Coquitlam]] and [[Coquitlam]]; opposite its mouth is [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]]. Port Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows are connected by the [[British Columbia Highway 7|Highway 7]] bridges and the rail trestles of the double-tracked [[Canadian Pacific Railway|CPR]] mainline, whose vast main western yards begin on the Pitt's western shore. The plain of the lower Pitt was berry marsh and bog prior to its dyking. The farmland is on the east bank in Pitt Meadows; the poorer soil quality and scrubland on the west shore has encouraged largescale [[suburbanization]] in Port Coquitlam. On the west shore in the upper stretches of the lower Pitt is [[Minnekhada Regional Park]], residence of former governor-general Clarence Wallace. It was later sold to Daon Corp., who sold off portions. The Province then bought it, anticipating future development in the area; future provincial governments sold off even more portions. The upper Pitt's basin is short but is fed by a number of icecaps and mountain streams, such that the river gets quite large only 50km from its source in [[Garibaldi Provincial Park]]. East of the upper Pitt is [[Golden Ears Provincial Park]] (formerly a part of [[Garibaldi Provincial Park]]). Barge traffic from logging camps in the upper Pitt basin is a regular sight on the [[Pitt Lake]] as well as in the area of the two highway bridges and [[Canadian Pacific Railway|CPR mainline bridge]] just up from the confluence of the [[Fraser River|Fraser]]. The Pitt is one of a number of north-south river-lake valleys which join the Fraser along the north side of the lower Fraser. The others are the valleys of the Coquitlam River, the Alouette River, the [[Stave River]], Suicide Creek (Norrish Creek), the Chehalis River and, lastly, the valley of [[Harrison Lake]], 60km east of the Pitt. ==See also== *[[Pitt River Bridge]] [[Category:Rivers of British Columbia]] [[Category:Lower Mainland]] {{BritishColumbia-geo-stub}}