The Ottawa River fact Sheet

Transcription

1 The Ottawa River fact Sheet

2 The Ottawa River fact Sheet The River 1,271 km long, making it the 13th longest river in North America. Every Canadian federal politician drinks water from the Ottawa River. The Ottawa River watershed is larger than England. The Ottawa River forms the boundary between Ontario and Quebec. The Ottawa River is the largest tributary of the St. Lawrence River. The source of the river is Lake Capimitchigama in Quebec, 250 km north of Ottawa. There are 19 major dams on the river between the headwaters and Montreal. No single government agency is responsible for the health and future of the river. There is no management plan, no conservation plan, no action plan. There is no vision for the future of this great river. The Ottawa River has 17 major tributaries. Only two are (still) free of dams. Biology More than 300 species of birds have been identified along the river. The Ottawa River is home to one of the few naturally reproducing (not stocked) muskellunge fisheries. There are 96 species of fish in the river, including 50 at-risk species. There are more native species of mussels in the Ottawa River than in all the rivers of Europe combined. A Q U A H A C K I N G otta w a r i v er summ i t 2

3 The Ottawa River fact Sheet History 6,000-year-old copper tools have been found on the shores of the river. The search for the Northwest Passage began up the Ottawa River. Sir John Franklin journeyed up the Ottawa River on his Great Arctic Survey. The Ottawa River was first known as Kit-chi sippi or Great River; later called La Grande Rivière du Nord by French explorers. Wrights Town was established in 1800 on the north side of River below Chaudière Falls (present-day Gatineau). In 1806, the first raft of logs was floated down the Ottawa River. The Ottawa River was nominated a Canadian Heritage River in However, the federal government has never signed off to have the river officially designated. Economics The combined capacity of the Ottawa River basin s hydroelectric generating stations is over 4,000 MW. The value of the electricity averages about $1 M per day (2006). Paddling and rafting businesses along the Ottawa River directly employ over 1,000 people, with thousands more being employed in travel, outdoor equipment and related businesses. At the Carillon reservoir alone, there are 10 federal wharfs, 14 public boat ramps and 5 marinas to accommodate recreational boat traffic. Ottawa River water is used to cool the reactors at AECL Chalk River Laboratories. They are one of the biggest producers of medical isotopes in the world. Ducks Unlimited, along with communities and citizens along the river, have invested millions of dollars in the restoration of wetlands. The cost of filtering and treating Ottawa River water for drinking is directly related to the quality of the water. AQUAHACKING 2015 ottawa river summit 3

4 The Ottawa River fact Sheet Recreation & Tourism Hundreds of thousands of people swim, fish, paddle, sail, and powerboat on the Ottawa River. There are over 30 beaches along the Ottawa River. Not every public swimming beach is monitored for water quality. Those beaches that are monitored are frequently closed when contact with the water poses a public health risk. Every year, tens of thousands of paddlers descend on Rocher Fendu near Beachburg. The 12-km run is one of the world s top white-water destinations. Ottawa/Gatineau is home to some of the finest urban whitewater paddling and our national team trains on the river in the heart of our city. Over 14,000 pleasure craft travel the river system annually, many doing the Rideau, Ottawa, St. Lawrence triangle. The Ottawa River is considered one of the top fishing spots in North America with over 50,000 fishers along the upper Ottawa River. The Ottawa River is home to 8 national historic sites and numerous pioneer villages, interpretive centres, community museums and historic houses. Over 40 festivals take place annually on or near the shores of the river, including our annual Canada Day celebrations. A Q U A H A C K I N G otta w a r i v er summ i t 4

5 The Ottawa River fact Sheet Threats to the Ottawa River Sewage Hundreds of times a year, untreated sewage is released into the river. There are over 90 wastewater treatment facilities in the watershed. Half provide only primary treatment. Municipal sewage contains hundreds of chemical and toxic pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and toxic metals. The National Water Research Institute identified 9 pharmaceuticals in tap water samples in Southern Ontario. Industry There are 6 pulp mills along the river (down from 9 in 2006). In 2002, the industry dumped over 160,000 litres of polluted effluent into the river. Five decades of improper management of radioactive wastes at the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) have led to extensive site contamination. City of Ottawa drinking water contains radioactive tritium. At CRL, storage bays for waste fuel rods discharge radioactive material (nucleotides) into the Ottawa River. One fuel bay leaked up to 1,000 gallons of contaminated water each day over 35 years. A plume of tritium and strontium-90 intersects the river over several hundred metres of shoreline. AQUAHACKING 2015 ottawa river summit 5