Etobicoke Creek
Etobicoke Creek | |
---|---|
Brampton | |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Caledon, Regional Municipality of Peel |
• coordinates | 43°47′19″N 79°53′39″W / 43.78861°N 79.89417°W |
• elevation | 300 m (980 ft) |
Mouth | Lake Ontario |
• location | Marie Curtis Park, Toronto |
• coordinates | 43°35′05″N 79°32′28″W / 43.58472°N 79.54111°W |
• elevation | 74 m (243 ft) |
Length | 61 km (38 mi) |
Basin size | 211 km2 (81 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
• average | 0.5 m3/s (18 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Spring Creek, Little Etobicoke Creek |
Etobicoke Creek /ɛˈtoʊbɪkoʊ/ ⓘ is a river in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.[1] It is a tributary of Lake Ontario and runs from Caledon to southern Etobicoke, part of the City of Toronto. The creek is within the jurisdiction of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Etymology
The name "Etobicoke" was derived from the
The name of the river in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) language of the Mississaugas, in modern Fiero orthography is Edoopikaag-ziibi.[10]
Course
Etobicoke Creek begins south of the
Watershed
The creek's southern section forms a city and county-level boundary, separating Toronto on the east from Mississauga, in Peel Region, as far north as Eglinton Avenue (north of where it flows entirely through Peel), on the west. The watershed encompasses 211 square kilometres (81 sq mi).[11] Mean summer waterflow has increased over the period 1967 to 2006 from 3.5 m3/s to 5.0 m3/s (4.5 cu. yd. to 6.5 cu. yd.) as recorded at a measuring station near the river mouth at the Queen Elizabeth Way.[12]
The creek ends in a large recreational area, Marie Curtis Park. It is surrounded by cliffs and the bottom is solid stone, often covered with smaller rocks. It is full of small fish and crayfish, a sign of purity of water.
Geology
The creek is characterized by winding paths ravines and shale banks.[13]
Incidents
Aircraft accidents
A section of Etobicoke Creek runs close to Toronto's Pearson International Airport, leaving a ravine very close to the west ends of runways 24L and 24R or the beginnings of Runways 6R & 6L. There have been two major aircraft incidents which have resulted in aircraft in the ravine.
- On 26 June 1978, an Douglas DC-9-32, Flight 189, with 107 people on board, overshot runway 24R and crashed into the ravine, destroying the aircraft and killing two of the passengers.
- On August 2, 2005, an Air France Airbus A340-300, Flight 358, with 309 people on board, overran runway 24L into the ravine, followed by a fire on board.[14] All people on board escaped safely but dozens were injured. One passenger, Roel Bramar, later commented, "It was a hell of a roller coaster going into the ravine."[15] Although it was widely reported the Air France plane landed in a heavily wooded area, the area is in fact is fairly wide open, due to airport maintenance of both sides of the ravine. The west side of the ravine is a gentle slope, with grass and the airport's light towers for both 6R and 6L. The fact that all on board the aircraft survived led to the incident quickly being referred to as the 'Miracle of Toronto' by press outlets.
The position of the ravine so close to the airport's overrun area has raised some concerns among the general public,[16] despite Toronto Pearson's compliance with all safety regulations.
Spills
On March 24, 2020, approximately 400 litres of red ink spilled onto Etobicoke Creek, causing it to turn red.[17]
Neighbourhoods
- Markland Wood is bounded by Etobicoke Creek to the west and Elmcrest (tributary) Creek to the east.
- Alderwood is bounded by Etobicoke Creek to the west.
- Long Branch is bounded on the west by Etobicoke Creek.
Tributaries
- Spring Creek - begins from Etobicoke Creek northwest of the airport northwards between Torbram and Kennedy Roads, to about Bovaird Drive.
- Little Etobicoke Creek
- Elmcrest Creek - small tributary that begins from two ponds inside Etobicoke Centennial Park and flows into Etobicoke Creek in the south at the Markland Wood Golf Club.
Another tributary called Silver Creek was buried during the construction of Malton Airport, which has since become Toronto Pearson International Airport.[18]
Gallery
-
The Etobicoke Creek looking north from the waterfall
-
The Etobicoke Creek as it travels south
-
The Etobicoke Creek as it travels through Marie Curtis Park
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The waterfall in the Etobicoke Creek near the south end of the creek. It is located beside the Toronto Golf Course.
-
Fourmute swansalong the bank of the Etobicoke Creek.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Etobicoke Creek". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- OCLC 31242698.
- ^ E. A. Cruikshank, ed. (1923). "From E. B. Littlehales to D. W. Smith". The Correspondence of Lieut. Governor John Graves Simcoe, 1789-1796. Vol. 3. Ontario Historical Society. p. 263.
- ^ Willoughby, Paul. "A Brief History of Etobicoke". Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ISBN 9780774841818.
- ^ E. A. Cruikshank, ed. (1923). "Lieut. Governor Simcoe's Minutes for the Attention of the Executive Council". The Correspondence of Lieut. Governor John Graves Simcoe, 1789-1796. Vol. 4. Ontario Historical Society. p. 233.
- ^ E. A. Cruikshank, ed. (1923). "From J. G. Simcoe to Lord Dorchester". The Correspondence of Lieut. Governor John Graves Simcoe, 1789-1796. Vol. 4. Ontario Historical Society. p. 239.
- ^ Graeme Mercer; et al. (1885). "Township of Etobicoke". History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario: Containing an Outline of the History of the Dominion of Canada; a History of the City of Toronto and the County of York, with the Townships, Towns, General and Local Statistics; Biographical Sketches, Volume 1. C.B. Robinson.
History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario.
- ^ For example, in an atlas of York County of 1880, per "Map of York County". 1880 Map of Ontario Counties. The Canadian County Digital Atlas Project at McGill University. 2001. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ^ Translate Ojibwe, Ojibwe - English Dictionary, "Etobicoke" Link
- ^ )
- )
- ^ McRae, Margaret (2011-10-09). "Etobicoke Creek". Parks and Gardens in Toronto West. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ^ "'A miracle' no deaths as Air France flight skids off runway, burns in Toronto". CBC News. 2005-08-02. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ^ "Air France crash 'a hell of a roller coaster'". ABC News. 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ^ "CBC News - Viewpoint: Your Space". www.cbc.ca. Archived from the original on August 5, 2005.
- ^ "Etobicoke creek runs red after ink spill | CBC News".
- ^ Hicks, Kathleen A. (2006). Malton: Farms to Flying (PDF). Mississauga, Ontario: Friends of the Mississauga Library System. ISBN 0-9697873-9-1.
- "Topographic Map sheets 30M12 & 30M13". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. 2006-02-06. Archived from the original on August 3, 2010. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
External links
- Etobicoke & Mimico Creeks Watersheds at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
- Marie Curtis Park
- Markland Wood - Residential Community
- Markland Wood Golf Club