Rivière des Prairies
Encyclopedia
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
in southwestern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Flowing west to east, it bisects the Hochelaga Archipelago
Hochelaga Archipelago
The Hochelaga Archipelago, also known as the Montreal Islands , is a group of islands at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers in the southwest part of the province of Quebec, Canada.-Size:...
and rises in the Lac des Deux-Montagnes. It flows on either side of Île Bizard
Île Bizard
Île Bizard is an island near the Island of Montreal in the Hochelaga Archipelago region.It was formerly a separate municipality named Ville de L'Île-Bizard, but is now part of the city of Montreal, in the borough of L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève....
(part of Montreal), it then divides the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
(Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
) to the south from Île Jésus
Île Jésus
Île Jésus is an island in southwestern Quebec, separated from the mainland to the north by the Rivière des Mille Îles, and from the Island of Montreal to the south by the Rivière des Prairies....
(Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
) to the north, after which it flows into the St. Lawrence River at the eastern tip of the Island of Montreal.
The river contains a large number of islands, including Île Bizard
Île Bizard
Île Bizard is an island near the Island of Montreal in the Hochelaga Archipelago region.It was formerly a separate municipality named Ville de L'Île-Bizard, but is now part of the city of Montreal, in the borough of L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève....
, the Îles Laval
Îles Laval
The Îles Laval are an island grouping in the Rivière des Prairies in southwestern Quebec, part of the Hochelaga ArchipelagoFormerly an independent municipality , they became part of the city of Laval on August 6, 1965.- Geography :...
(Île Bigras, Île Pariseau
Île Pariseau
Île Pariseau is a small island located near Baie-James, Quebec in the Rivière des Prairies.The island is part of the Hochelaga Archipelago and is linked to the Island of Montreal in Quebec, Canada....
, Île Verte
Île Verte
There are several places called Île Verte :* Île Verte , France* Île Verte , Quebec, Canada* the French name for Green Island , Newfoundland and Labrador...
and Île Ronde) belonging to Laval, and Île de la Visitation
Île de la Visitation
Île de la Visitation is a small island in the Rivière des Prairies, part of the Hochelaga Archipelago, linked to the Island of Montreal in Quebec, Canada....
, a nature park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
belonging to Montreal. The Rapides du Cheval Blanc are located downstream from the Îles Laval, in the portion of the river separating the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
Pierrefonds-Roxboro
Pierrefonds-Roxboro is a borough of the city of Montreal. It is composed of the former municipalities of Pierrefonds and Roxboro, spanning the northern part of the West Island...
in Montreal from Sainte-Dorothée
Sainte-Dorothée, Quebec
Sainte-Dorothée is a neighbourhood in Laval, Quebec. It was a separate city until the municipal mergers on August 6, 1965.The Sainte-Dorothée that was known for forest and farmlands is no longer what it used to be. It took a giant transformation during the last decade with the arrival of...
in Laval.
Historically, the river received massive discharges of untreated liquid waste
Wastewater
Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations...
from Montreal, turning it into essentially an open sewer; however, ecological intervention and modern sewage treatment techniques reversed the damage and the river is now considered clean and suitable for swimming.
See also
- List of bridges spanning the Rivière des Prairies
- List of Quebec rivers
- List of crossings of the Rivière des Prairies
- List of hydroelectric stations