The Exploits River ( Mi'kmaq: Sple'tk; Tenenigeg) is a
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in the province of
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
, Canada. It flows through the
Exploits Valley
The Exploits Valley is a valley in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the central part of the island of Newfoundland.
Natural environment
Formed by glaciation, the Exploits River flows eastward through the valley, framed by low hills fr ...
in the central part of
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
.
Including the Lloyds River, which discharges in Beothuk Lake, the Exploits river has a length of 246 km, making it the longest river on the island draining an area of 1,100 km2 and is the second longest in the province after the Churchill River.
The river drains
Beothuk Lake
Beothuk Lake, formerly Red Indian Lake, is located in the interior of central Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The lake drains into the Exploits River which flows through the interior of New ...
at its source and discharges into the
Bay of Exploits
The Bay of Exploits is a large bay in the northeast of Newfoundland. It extends from the mouth of the Exploits River and opens on to Notre Dame Bay to the north. It is approximately 1,000 square kilometers (386 sq. miles) in size and contains ...
near the port town of
Botwood
Botwood is a town in north-central Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada in Census Division 6. It is positioned on the west shore of the Bay of Exploits on a natural deep-water harbour. Historically, this harbour has been a significa ...
.
The Exploits River provides habitat for
spawning
Spawn is the Egg cell, eggs and Spermatozoa, sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of freely releasing eggs and sperm into a body of water (fresh or marine); the physical act is ...
Atlantic Salmon
The Atlantic salmon (''Salmo salar'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is the third largest of the Salmonidae, behind Hucho taimen, Siberian taimen and Pacific Chinook salmon, growing up to a meter in length. Atlan ...
and other species of fish. The salmon population increased dramatically when
fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass, fish steps, or fish cannon, is a structure on or around artificial and natural barriers (such as dams, locks and waterfalls) to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration as well as mov ...
s were installed, opening up sections of the river that had been previously inaccessible.
List of rivers of Newfoundland and Labrador
This is a list of rivers of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, divided by watershed. Nearly all watersheds in the province ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean.
East Coast of Labrador
Watersheds between Eclipse River and Groswater Bay in L ...
*
Bay of Exploits
The Bay of Exploits is a large bay in the northeast of Newfoundland. It extends from the mouth of the Exploits River and opens on to Notre Dame Bay to the north. It is approximately 1,000 square kilometers (386 sq. miles) in size and contains ...