river in western British Columbia, Canada. It rises in the Skeena Mountains in the northern part of the province and flows generally southwestward, receiving its two major tributaries, the Babine and Bulkley rivers, before emptying into Chatham Sound (an arm of the Pacific Ocean), south of Prince Rupert, after a course of about 360 miles (580 km). The Skeena is an important salmon-fishing stream with several canneries near its mouth. The lower courses of the Bulkley and Skeena rivers are paralleled by the Canadian National Railway and Yellowhead Highway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Riverine settlements include Terrace, Hazelton, and Smithers (the latter on the Bulkley River). Skeena is derived from an Indian word meaning “divide.”