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The Rideau River near Billings Bridge,
Ottawa. |
From 1998 to 2000, some 30 scientists representing every
discipline, assisted by numerous partners and volunteers, focused intensely
on the Rideau River and its rich biodiversity.
The Rideau River flows for 100 km through Ontario, Canada.
From its beginning at Upper Rideau Lake, near Smiths Falls, the River
flows generally northward. Before hurtling into the Ottawa River at Ottawa,
Canada's capital, it passes through varied landscapes, which are at first
forested and agricultural but become increasingly developed.
The Rideau River has undergone several important transformations
since settlement along its banks began around 1790. Construction between
1826 and 1832 of the Rideau Canal, of which the Rideau River is a major
component, modified the landscape considerably.
With a length of 202 km, the Rideau Canal connects
Lake Ontario at Kingston to the Ottawa River at Ottawa. It comprises a chain
of lakes, rivers and artificial channels.
Upper Rideau Lake, near Smiths Falls, is the highest
point along the Canal. From there, the water flows both northeast toward
Ottawa in the Rideau River and southwest toward Kingston in the Cataraqui
River.
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A lock on the Rideau
River, near Manotick. |
The Rideau River is one and the same as the Canal for
most of the River's length. The River diverges from the Canal in Ottawa.
Only the Canal provides access for boats to the Ottawa River.
A system of 47 locks overcomes the 83-m decrease in
elevation between the Upper Rideau Lake and the Ottawa River, and the
50-m decrease between this lake and Lake Ontario. The locks also allow
the water level to be maintained at not less than 1.5 m deep for the passage
of boats. [25]
The historical value of the Rideau Canal, as well as
the ecological value of the lakes and rivers that comprise it, were recognized
in 2000 with the designation of the Rideau Canal Waterway as a Canadian
Heritage River.
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View a detailed
map of the Rideau Canal Waterway, from Kingston to Ottawa.of the
Rideau River. |
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A species of arrowhead.
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Young bullfrog,
Rana catesbeiana. |
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