The river's drainage basin is approximately 390 square kilometres (150 sq mi) in area.
In 1865, explorer James Turnbull noted in his diary that his party was camping at the mouth of the What-shaan River.
Walter Moberly's 1866 map labelled the lake and river as Waatshaan.
The actual indigenous term these explorers were attempting to transcribe, and consequently its meaning, is unclear.
This article related to a river in British Columbia, Canada is a stub.