The McNeil River originates at Minerva Lake in the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains. The river flows south through an unnamed lake, collecting a number of tributary streams, the largest of which is Gamble Creek.[9] Gamble Creek and the lower portion of the McNeil River flow by the Gamble Creek Ecological Reserve.[10][11]
[7][12]
The McNeil River's watershed's biogeoclimatic ecosystem is classified as "Coastal Western Hemlock" (CWH) and "Mountain Hemlock" (MH), specifically the biogeoclimatic variants "Central Very Wet Hypermaritime" (CWHvh2), "Windward Wet Hypermaritime" (MHwh1), and "Wet Hypermaritime Parkland" (MHwhp). It is park of the Hecate Lowland ecosection.[7]
At lower elevations the McNeil River's watershed is dominated by forests of western hemlock with some lodgepole pine and western redcedar. Some amabilis fir trees, over 300 years old, grow in the watershed. Understory flora includes Alaskan blueberry, salal, false azalea, deer fern, and mosses.[7]
At higher elevations subalpine forests grow, with forests that tend to be scrubby and boggy. These areas are dominated by mountain hemlock and yellow cedar, with some lodgepole pine. Understory flora includes Labrador tea, bog cranberry, lingonberry, mountain heathers, cloudberry, fernleaf goldthread, rose twisted stalk, and sphagnum moss. Common plants in boggy areas include muhly (tufted deer-grass), beak-rush, deer cabbage, sundew, swamp gentian, white marsh marigold, and sphagnum moss.[7]
Large-scale industrial logging has been conducted in the McNeil River watershed since the late 1960s.[13] These logging operations have involved extensive clearcutting.[14]
The McNeil River supports of runs of salmonids including coho salmon and pink salmon.[13] Other fish species include Dolly Varden trout and cutthroat trout.[14]
Length measured using Google Maps path tool, BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, and ACME Mapper.
"Northwest Water Tool". BC Water Tool. GeoBC, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Government of British Columbia. Retrieved 1 August 2021.