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). [1] 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, 8 km N of Munster	153m
Kanata South Ward	Glen Cairn Reservoir	131m
College Ward	Khymer Ct, 1 km N of Fallowfield	129m
Stittsville Ward	Rockson Cres.	128m
Kanata North Ward	Huntsville Dr, Kanata Lakes	126m
Osgoode Ward	1 km 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, 4 km 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)

File:Mississippiriver.jpg

The Mississippi River.

The Rideau River is one of the two main rivers in Ottawa

The Ottawa River outside of Parliament Hill.

• Becketts Creek
• Cardinal Creek
• Bilberry Creek
• Green's Creek
  • Mud Creek
  • Borthwick Creek
    • Nicolet Drain
  • Ramsay Creek
  • McEwen Creek
• Rideau River
• Rideau Canal (artificial)
  • Brown's Inlet
  • Patterson Creek
• Graham Creek
• Still Water Creek
• Watts Creek
• Shirley's Brook
• Constance Creek
• Carp River
• Mississippi River
  • Cartwrights Creek
  • Cody Creek
• Madawaska River (mouth not in Ottawa)

Tributaries of the Rideau River (from north to south)

File:Jockriver.jpg

The Jock River.

• Sawmill Creek
• Nepean Creek
• Black Rapids Creek
• Mosquito Creek
• Jock River
  • Mahoney Creek
  • Nichols Creek
  • Kings Creek
• Mud Creek
• Steven Creek
• Cranberry Creek
• McDermot Drain (mouth not in Ottawa)
• Brassills Creek
• Rideau Creek

Others

• Bear Brook
  • South Indian Creek
  • Shaws Creek
  • McKinnons Creek
• North Castor River
  • Black Creek
• Middle Castor River
• South Castor River

Features of the Ottawa River

File:Nepean Point.JPG

Nepean Point.

File:Ottawa Chaudiere Falls.jpg

Chaudière Falls.

(from East to West)

2

Features of the Rideau River

Rideau Falls.

(from North to South)

2

Lakes

• Brewer Park Pond (Ottawa)
• Constance Lake (Kanata)
• Lac des Chats (West Carleton)
• Dow's Lake (artificial, Ottawa)
• Lac Deschênes (Nepean)
• Lake Madawaska (West Carleton)
• McKay Lake (Rockcliffe Park)
• Mud Lake (Britannia)
• Mud Pond (Kanata)
• Sand Pits Lake (Rockcliffe Park)

Other geographical features

Mer Bleue bog

• Beaver Island (West Carleton)
• The Burnt Lands (West Carleton)
• Canaan Hill (Cumberland)
• Carlington Hill (Carlington)
• Carp Hills (also known as Carp Ridge) (West Carleton)
• Colonel By Valley (Ottawa)
• Greenbelt (Nepean/Gloucester)
  • Mer Bleue (Cumberland/Gloucester)
  • Pine Grove Forest
  • Stony Swamp
• LeBreton Flats (Ottawa)
• Marlborough Forest (Rideau-Goulbourn Ward)
• Nanny Goat Hill (Ottawa)
• Quigley Hill (Cumberland)

Sources

• National Resources Canada Topographic Maps
• MapArt map of Ottawa
• Ontario Base Survey

External links

• Take a Virtual Cruise on the Ottawa River