Iskut River

The Iskut River, located in the northwest part of the province of British Columbia, is the largest tributary of the Stikine River, entering it about 11 km (6.8 mi) above its entry into Alaska.

From its source at Kluachon Lake the Iskut River flows south and west for about 248 km (154 mi) to the Stikine River near the border of British Columbia and Alaska. The upper Iskut flows south through a series of lakes: Kluachon Lake, Eddontenajon Lake, Tatogga Lake, Kinaskan Lake, Natadesleen Lake, and others. The middle Iskut encompasses the area between the Little Iskut River and Forrest Kerr Creek. Below the Ningunsaw River the Iskut flows southwest through a canyon and is regulated by the Forrest Kerr Hydroelectric Project, a run-of-river hydroelectric project. The lower Iskut flows west through an increasingly braided channel.

The upper Iskut is in the Klastline Plateau, a subregion of the Stikine Plateau. The middle Iskut forms the boundary between the Stikine Plateau and the Skeena Mountains. The lower Iskut flows through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains.

The Iskut River's watershed covers 9,544 km² (3,685 sq mi), and its mean annual discharge is 457 m³/s (16,100 cu ft/s). The river's watershed's land cover is classified as 34.6% conifer forest, 20.1% barren, 18.2% snow/glacier, 13.4% shrubland, 10.0% herbaceous, and small amounts of other cover. The mouth of the Iskut River is located about 48 km (30 mi) northeast of Wrangell, Alaska, about 140 km (87 mi) northwest of Stewart, British Columbia, and about 133 km (83 mi) south of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. The Iskut watershed is highly glaciated and is characterized by landscapes shaped by geologically recent glaciers and the Laurentide Ice Sheet as well as volcanism.

The Iskut River watershed is in the asserted traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation and Iskut First Nation, of the Tahltan people. The lower Iskut River is also in the traditional territory of the Tlingit, specifically the Shtax'héen Ḵwáan, commonly known as the Stikine River people.

The name of the Iskut River possibly comes from a Nisga'a word meaning "stinking", otherwise of unknown origin.

The upper Iskut River, defined as the portion between its source and Cascade Falls, is nearly surrounded by the Stikine River and its tributaries, including the Stikine River to the north, the Klappan River to the east, and the Klastline River to the west. Much of this region around the upper Iskut watershed is encompassed within protected areas such as Mount Edziza Provincial Park, Stikine River Provincial Park, Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park, and others, in a large contiguous set of protected areas known collectively as the Stikine Country Protected Areas. British Columbia Highway 37, also called the Stewart–Cassiar Highway, runs along the east side of the upper and part of the middle Iskut River.

The Iskut River originates at Kluachon Lake, near the source of the Klastline River, and about 40 km (25 mi) west-northwest of Mount Edziza. A number of small streams feed Kluachon Lake, such as Kluachon Creek. From Kluachon Lake the Iskut River flows south about 2 km (1.2 mi) to Eddontenajon Lake, joined along the way by Zetu Creek, flowing southwest from Zechtoo Mountain.