It flows east from the Smallwood Reservoir into the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Melville.

The name gradually supplanted use of the Grand River before being replaced on 1 February 1965 by provincial premier Joey Smallwood.

[7] The water flow in the canyon has been mainly diverted underground through a giant hydroelectric power generating plant.

The Churchill Falls development has become a source of friction between two Canadian provinces, as Newfoundland and Labrador asserts that Quebec's Hydro-Québec (despite having provided a major part of the financing and access to the North American power grid) has taken a disproportionate share of the development's profits.

[8] In 2012 divers using side scan sonar found what they believe is the wreck of a U-boat just downstream of Muskrat Falls, validating a local legend.