Ferguson River (Nunavut)

Infobox River
river_name = Ferguson River


caption =
origin =Ferguson Lake
mouth =Nevill Bay on
northwestern Hudson Bay
basin_countries = Canada
length =
elevation =
mouth_elevation =
discharge =
watershed = The Ferguson River originates on the eastern bank of Ferguson Lake within the northern Hearne Domain, Western Churchill province of the Churchill craton, the northwest section of the Canadian Shield in Nunavut's Kivalliq Region.

The river was first traversed by Canadian Arctic explorer Joseph Burr Tyrrell's Geological Survey of Canada 1894 canoe expedition that included Robert Monro Ferguson, Scottish sportsman and "aide-de-camp" to Lord Aberdeen, Governor General of Canada. Ferguson became the namesake of the river and the lake. [cite web |url=http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1337887 |title=Joseph Burr Tyrrell |publisher=everything2.com |accessdate=2008-01-27] [cite web |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic36-3-298.pdf |title=Arctic Profiles |publisher=ucalgary.ca }accessdate=2008-01-25] [cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Y5QRAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA6&lpg=RA1-PA6&dq=%22ferguson+river%22+tyrrell+munro-ferguson&source=web&ots=EiggLes7rO&sig=TnfURARCQKBGMGW6ANG8KxJS-6w#PRA1-PA6,M1 |title=Report of the Doobaunt, Kazan and Ferguson Rivers and the North-West Coast of Hudson Bay |author=J. Burr Tyrrell |date=May 10, 1897 |publisher=Geological Survey of Canada |accessdate=2008-01-27] (Hodgins, 1994, pg. 109)

The river flows eastward through several lakes:
* Qamanirjuaq Lake ("Kaminuriak")
* Victory Lake coord|62|36|41|N|95|32|01|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline
* O'Neil Lake coord|62|28|25|N|95|18|35|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline
* Kaminak Lake
* Quartzite Lake coord|62|21|58|N|94|29|54|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline
* Snug Lake coord|62|21|28|N|94|19|24|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline
* Munro Lake coord|62|23|16|N|94|10|38|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline
* Helika Lake coord|62|24|03|N|94|02|21|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline
* Last Lake coord|62|15|27|N|93|44|46|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline

Before reaching its outflow, the river passes though narrows, the "The Canyon" coord|62|06|23|N|93|22|18|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline,then empties into Nevill Bay coord|62|01|38|N|93|16|53|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inlineopposite Bibby Island coord|61|52|29|N|93|04|27|W|region:CA_type:river|display=inline in northwestern Hudson Bay between Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove. [cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=hKQMAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA139&lpg=RA1-PA139&dq=%22ferguson+river%22+%22ferguson+lake%22&source=web&ots=dwMGaEt4vF&sig=D1Di8ZMU5m0gUcrYlXn_dBhfxVk#PRA1-PA139,M1 |title=Annual Report - Geological Survey of Canada |date=1898 |publisher=Geological Survey of Canada |work=Google Book Search |accessdate=2008-01-24]

The river was first explored in 1894 by Joseph Burr Tyrrell and his party, who received guidance about the local lakes and rivers from area Inuit. Tyrell named the river after one of his travelling companions. [cite web |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic36-3-298.pdf |title=Arctic Profiles |publisher=ucalgary.ca }accessdate=2008-01-25]

Ferguson River flows through the migratory path of Barren-ground caribou. Arctic charr can be found in the river, while muskox, wolves, and Arctic fox also inhabit the area.

References

* Hodgins, Bruce W., and Gwyneth Hoyle (1994). " [http://books.google.com/books?id=eBn41p-P9lYC&pg=PA101&lpg=PA101&dq=%22james+w+tyrrell%22&source=web&ots=XSeqa_RhYq&sig=fDJaFk3-J38yY699apS1Ng9grfw#PPA109,M1 Canoeing North into the Unknown A Record of River Travel, 1874 to 1974] ". Toronto: Natural Heritage/Natural History. ISBN 0920474934