Geography of Ottawa

National Capital Region by SPOT Satellite in 2003

This is the outline of the geography of the city of Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Ottawa's current borders were formed in 2001, when the former city of Ottawa amalgamated with the ten other municipalities within the former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. Ottawa is now a single-tiered Census division, home to 870,250 people.

The city centre is located at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers. The Ottawa River forms the entire northern boundary of the city which it shares with the province of Quebec's municipalities of Pontiac and Gatineau. The northern boundary begins in the west at Arnprior and continues east to Rockland. The boundary then turns south in a straight line, separating the former Township of Cumberland (now in Ottawa) and the City of Clarence-Rockland. It then turns west in another straight line separating the former Township of Cumberland with the municipalities of The Nation and Russell. It then turns south separating Russell from the former Township of Osgoode (now in Ottawa). That boundary runs south in a straight line, then turns west separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Dundas. That boundary runs west in a straight line before turning north separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Grenville. This is another straight line, running north until the Rideau River near Kemptville. The boundary follows the River upstream until almost reaching Merrickville. The boundary then runs in a northwest direction in a straight line with a number of jogs. It separates the municipalities of Montague, Beckwith and Mississippi Mills from the former townships of Marlborough, Goulbourn, Huntley and Fitzroy.

Former townships

What is now Ottawa was once divided geographically into 11 townships. Ten of them in the former Carleton and one (Cumberland) in the former Russell County. The ten townships of Carleton were Fitzroy, Gloucester, Goulbourn, Huntley, March, Marlborough, Nepean, North Gower, Osgoode and Torbolton.

Physical geography

The highest point in the city is 166 m (545 ft) above sea level, and is located 2.6 km SSE of Manion Corners (45° 14' 5" N; 76° 3' 3" W). The lowest point in the city is the Ottawa River, at 44m above sea level.

Highest points by ward

Map of Ottawa showing urban area, highways, waterways, and historic townships
Ward Highest point Elevation (approx.)
West Carleton-March Ward 2.6 km SSE of Manion Corners 166m
Rideau-Goulbourn Ward Jinkinson Road, 8km N of Munster 153m
Kanata South Ward Glen Cairn Reservoir 131m
College Ward Khymer Ct, 1km N of Fallowfield 129m
Stittsville Ward Rockson Cres. 128m
Kanata North Ward Huntsville Dr, Kanata Lakes 126m
Osgoode Ward 1km SE of Bank Street & Rideau Road, South Gloucester 120m+
Cumberland Ward Cumberland Ridge Dr, Quigley Hill 120m+
Barrhaven Ward Cedarview Road, Cedar Hill Estates 120m+
Gloucester-Southgate Ward Tom Roberts Ave, Macdonald-Cartier International Airport 119m
Knoxdale-Merivale Ward Cedarview Road at Cedarhill Drive 115m+
River Ward Carlington Hill, (Carlington Heights Reservoir, Carlington Park) Carlington 115m+
Bay Ward Corkstown Road, Ottawa - Nepean Tent & Trailer Park 114m
Gloucester-South Nepean Ward Osgoode Link Pathway (former CPR) & High Rd, 4km SW of Leitrim 114m
Innes Ward 200m WSW of Forest Ridge Pumping Station 114m
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Quarry Park, Rothwell Heights 113m
Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward Foxview Pleasant, Quarries 106m
Alta Vista Ward Alta Vista (Alta Vista Drive & Randall Ave) 102m
Capital Ward Bank Street & Alta Vista Drive 96m
Orleans Ward Clearcrest Cres, Fallingbrook 93m
Kitchissippi Ward Maitland Avenue Bridge (over the Queensway) 89m
Somerset Ward Parliament Hill 86m
Rideau-Vanier Ward Richelieu Park, Vanier 75m+

Rivers and creeks

Tributaries of the Ottawa River (from east to west)
The Mississippi River.
The Rideau River is one of the two main rivers in Ottawa
The Ottawa River outside of Parliament Hill.
Tributaries of the Rideau River (from north to south)
The Jock River.
Others

Features of the Ottawa River

Nepean Point.
Chaudière Falls.

(from East to West)

  • Petrie Island
  • Lower Duck Island
  • Upper Duck Island
  • Governor Bay
  • Nepean Point
  • Victoria Island
  • Chaudière Island
  • Chaudière Falls
  • Nepean Bay
  • Lemieux Island
  • Bell Island
  • Merrill Island
  • Nicholas Island
  • Lazy Bay
  • Little Chaudière Rapids
  • Remic Rapids
  • Bate Island
  • Cummingham Island
  • Riopelle Island
  • Deschênes Rapids
  • Britannia Bay
  • Graham Bay
  • Rocky Point
  • Crystal Bay
  • Beatty Point
  • Shirleys Bay
  • Haycock Island
  • Chartrand Island
  • Innis Point
  • Aylmer Island
  • Pinhey Point
  • Stony Point
  • Horseshoe Bay
  • Constance Bay
  • Sand Point
  • Buckham's Point
  • Buckham's Bay
  • Crown Point
  • Woolsey Narrows
  • Alexandra Island
  • Kedey's Island
  • Chats Falls
  • Morris Island
  • Lavergne Point
  • Lavergne Bay
  • Pickerel Bay
  • Snake Island
  • Indian Point
  • Marshall Bay
  • Pocket Bay
  • Goodwin Bay

Features of the Rideau River

Rideau Falls.

(from North to South)

Lakes

Other geographical features

Mer Bleue bog

Sources

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, September 13, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.