Bonnechere River
Bonnechere River Bonnechère River | |
---|---|
Etymology | from the French "bonne chère" meaning "good eating" |
Location | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
Regions | |
County/District | |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | McKaskill Lake |
• location | Geographic Clancy Township, Unorganized South Part, Nipissing District, Northeastern Ontario |
• coordinates | 45°45′01″N 78°03′35″W / 45.75028°N 78.05972°W |
• elevation | 371 m (1,217 ft) |
Mouth | Ottawa River |
• location | Horton, Renfrew County, Eastern Ontario |
• coordinates | 45°31′11″N 76°33′28″W / 45.51972°N 76.55778°W |
• elevation | 72 m (236 ft) |
Length | 145 km (90 mi) |
Basin size | 2,400 km2 (930 sq mi) |
Basin features | |
Progression | Ottawa River→ St. Lawrence River→ Gulf of St. Lawrence |
River system | Ottawa River drainage basin |
The Bonnechere River is a
Geography
This section needs expansion with: information on the river's course between Golden Lake and the river mouth. You can help by adding to it. (August 2011) |
The Bonnechere River begins in Algonquin Provincial Park at McKaskill Lake in geographic Clancy Township in the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District.[2] It heads north into geographic Niven Township, then loops back southeast into Clancy Township, under a Hydro One transmission corridor and into geographic Guthrie Township. It continues southeast through the Crooked Chute, over the High Falls, through the Stacks Rapids to the unincorporated place Basin Depot, located on a former logging road.
The river continues southeast out of the park at Boundary access point (Access point Q), enters geographic Burns Township in
From Golden Lake until the river reaches
The river reaches its mouth at
The river is 145 kilometres (90 mi) long and drains an area of 2,400 square kilometres (927 sq mi).
The Chutes
There are five
Tributaries
This section needs expansion with: tributaries between Golden Lake and the river mouth. You can help by adding to it. (August 2011) |
- Golden Lake
- Scharfe Creek (left)
- Eadys Creek (left)
- Beaudrys Creek (left)
- Browns Creek (left)
- Sauers Creek (left)
- Cochrane Creek (left)
- Brennans Creek (right)
- Round Lake
- Turners Creek (left)
- Reserve Creek (left)
- Jacks Creek (left)
- Sherwood River (right)
- Byers Creek (right)
- Pine River (left)
- Robitaille Creek (right)
- Dupuis Creek (left)
- Hogan Creek (right)
- Jenkins Creek (left)
- Batise Creek (left)
- Gross Creek (left)
- McGuire Creek (right)
- North Bonnechere River (left)
- Fairy Creek (left)
Economy
During the 19th century, the river was used to transport
Natural history
The Bonnechère Caves, formed from ancient limestone, are located by the river near the village of
There are two provincial parks along its length: the Bonnechere River Provincial Park (a 23 km long section bordering Algonquin Park) and the Bonnechere Provincial Park (located on Round Lake).
The Bonnechere River lies mostly in a 175 million year old rift valley called the Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben.
Over the years, songs have been written about the Bonnechere River including the recent "In The Arms Of The Bonnechere River" by Ottawa Valley singer/songwriter, Terry McLeish.
River run
Each year the river is host to a raft run between the third and fourth chute. Originally arranged by local Shriners, the run has taken on a less official status, occurring with little to no organization apart from its pre-determined date during Victoria Day weekend. Participants design and build a raft or anything else they hope will take them down the river. The river presents natural obstacles in the form of light rapids. There is no competitive angle to the run with no prize at the end other than warmth and a good time. Most participants are young adults from the area returning to visit friends and family. Having recently surpassed its twenty-fourth year, the river run is a local tradition.
See also
- Madawaska River (Ontario) - nearby river with similar characteristics
References
- ^ "Bonnechere River". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- ^ a b "Bonnechere River". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2011-08-11. Shows the river course highlighted on a topographic map.
- ^ "Bonnechere Caves".
Sources
- McMurtrie, Jeffrey (2008). "Algonquin Provincial Park and the Haliburton Highlands". Wikimedia Commons. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- Map 10 (PDF) (Map). 1 : 700,000. Official road map of Ontario. Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- Restructured municipalities - Ontario map #5 (Map). Restructuring Maps of Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 2006. Archived from the original on 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
External links
Media related to Bonnechere River at Wikimedia Commons