The North Saskatchewan River originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and bisects the city . Before the construction of two reservoirs near the mountains , it would sometimes flood Edmonton 's river valley , most notably in the North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915 . It empties via the Saskatchewan River , Lake Winnipeg , and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay . It runs from the southwest to the northeast and is fed by numerous creeks throughout the city , such as Mill Creek , Whitemud Creek and Blackmud Creek ; this creates numerous ravines , some of which are used for urban parkland . Edmonton is within the Canadian Prairies Ecozone . Aspen parkland surrounds the city and is a transitional area from the prairies to the south and boreal forest in the north . The aspen woods and forests in and around Edmonton have long since been reduced by farming and other human activities , such as residential and commercial land development as well as oil and natural gas exploration
North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915
North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915
Edmonton