Page created on : November 9, 2002
Last updated : December 6, 2002

The South Saskatchewan forms a large part of one of Canada's most extensive waterways, the Saskatchewan, which winds 1 928 kilometres across the Prairies. Its historical significance for commerce dates back to its discovery by Henry Kelsey of the Hudson Bay Compagny in 1691.

More rencently, with the construction of the Gardiner Dam and the creation of Lake Diefenbaker in 1967, the South Saskatchewan has ensured a dependable supply of water for prairie agriculture during unpredictable periods of drought. The South Saskatchewan River (Irrigation) Project has proved an economic godsend to the people of that province.