| Brittain River | |
| Name Etymology: | Rowland Brittain |
| Pushpin Map: | British Columbia |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Mouth of Brittain River |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | British Columbia |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | New Westminster Land District |
| Length: | 23km (14miles) |
| Source1: | Pacific Ranges |
| Source1 Location: | Coast Mountains, British Columbia |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 50.1247°N -124.1239°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 1157m (3,796feet)[1] |
| Mouth: | Pacific Ocean |
| Mouth Location: | Jervis Inlet, British Columbia, Salish Sea |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 49.9972°N -124.0094°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 0m (00feet) |
The Brittain River is a river of the Sunshine Coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It originates in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains, and flows about 23km (14miles) southeast to the Pacific Ocean at the Princess Royal Reach of Jervis Inlet.[2]
Brittain River is within the swiya (world, "Territory") of the shíshálh people.[3] Its shíshálh name is slhilhem.[4] The shíshálh consider the entire slhilhem watershed to be of extremely high cultural and spiritual value. It is home to numerous cultural resources and ceremonial, spiritual, legendary, and oral history sites. In addition, the river valley was a traditional travel route to Powell River.
The river is named for Rowland Brittain, British Columbia's first patent attorney and owned land at the river's mouth in 1901–1902.
Brittain River originates at Arctic Lake in the Pacific Ranges. It flows east through Doris Lake then turns south. It flows through a forested, mountainous, glaciated U-shaped valley to Jervis Inlet. Its mouth is about 40km (30miles) northeast of the city of Powell River.[5] [1] About 5km (03miles) upstream from its mouth a waterfall, approximately 10m-15mm (30feet-49feetm) 10–15 m high, blocks fish migration.
Historically, Brittain River supported anadromous salmon and trout in its lower 5km (03miles), and non-anadromous trout and char in its upper reaches. Anadromous fish populations include coho, Chinook, chum, and pink salmon, as well as steelhead and cutthroat trout. Non-anadromous fish include cutthroat and Dolly Varden. The river's watershed has a long history of heavy logging with associated wildfires, along with mineral exploration. This has significantly altered the aquatic habitats of the lower Brittain River.[6]
The shíshálh consider the river a good candidate for fishery and wildlife rehabilitation.[4]