Sauble River (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
The Sauble River is a river
in Bruce County
and Grey County
in southwestern
Ontario
, Canada
that flows from its headwaters in the township of Chatsworth
to Lake Huron
at the community of Sauble Beach
.
. It was named the River aux Saubles in 1759 and became the Sauble River in 1859.
in the township of Chatsworth
in Grey County, between the communities of Desboro
to the north and Mooresburg to the south. It heads north then west, takes in the left tributary Grimston Creek and right tributary Keady Creek, passes along the border to the municipality of Arran–Elderslie in Bruce County near the community of Grimston, before entering that municipality and reaching the community of Tara
, where it takes in the left tributary Tara Creek. The river continues north, takes in the left tributary Arkwright Creek, passes through the community of Allenford, and reaches the municipality of South Bruce Peninsula
. It then heads northeast, takes in the right tributary Park Head Creek, and turns west west of the community of Hepworth. The river takes in the right tributaries Spring Creek and Rankin River, passes over the Sauble Falls, and reaches Lake Huron at Sauble Beach.
is located at the eponymous waterfalls.
The river hosts fish species such as brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, largemouth bass, northern pike, panfish, rainbow trout and walleye. The south (upper) Sauble River drainage basin has fair (15 to 20%) forest cover and poor (12.5 to 25%) riparian zone
forest cover, fair water quality and good benthic
species; the north (lower) drainage basin has excellent (greater than 35%) forest cover and fair (25% to 50%) riparian zone forest cover, excellent water chemistry and good benthic species.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Bruce County
Bruce County, Ontario
Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....
and Grey County
Grey County, Ontario
Grey County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is in Owen Sound. The population was 92,411 in 2006. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Southwestern Ontario...
in southwestern
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, centred on the city of London. It extends north to south from the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron to the Lake Erie shoreline, and east to south-west roughly from Guelph to Windsor. The region had a population...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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...
that flows from its headwaters in the township of Chatsworth
Chatsworth, Ontario
Chatsworth is a township in south-western Ontario, Canada, in Grey County, located at the headwaters of the Styx River, the Saugeen River, the Sauble River, the Bighead River, the Spey River, and the Sydenham River....
to Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
at the community of Sauble Beach
Sauble Beach, Ontario
Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada is a resort community and unincorporated area in the town of South Bruce Peninsula, Bruce County in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, on the north edge of the Saugeen Nation...
.
Etymology
The river was originally called Rivière aux Saubles, or "sandy river", by the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was named the River aux Saubles in 1759 and became the Sauble River in 1859.
Course
The Sauble River begins at an unnamed pondPond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
in the township of Chatsworth
Chatsworth, Ontario
Chatsworth is a township in south-western Ontario, Canada, in Grey County, located at the headwaters of the Styx River, the Saugeen River, the Sauble River, the Bighead River, the Spey River, and the Sydenham River....
in Grey County, between the communities of Desboro
Desboro, Ontario
Desboro is a community in Chatsworth Township, Grey County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, located south of Owen Sound and near the community of Chatsworth.-References:...
to the north and Mooresburg to the south. It heads north then west, takes in the left tributary Grimston Creek and right tributary Keady Creek, passes along the border to the municipality of Arran–Elderslie in Bruce County near the community of Grimston, before entering that municipality and reaching the community of Tara
Tara, Ontario
Tara is an unincorporated community in southwestern Ontario, Canada. At the 2006 census, it had 989 residents and 435 dwellings. Within the municipality of Arran-Elderslie, it is a designated place located on the Sauble River, with an area of 2.39 km², and an urban area that covers...
, where it takes in the left tributary Tara Creek. The river continues north, takes in the left tributary Arkwright Creek, passes through the community of Allenford, and reaches the municipality of South Bruce Peninsula
South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
South Bruce Peninsula is a town at the base of the Bruce Peninsula of Ontario, Canada, in the County of Bruce between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.Recently the cottage industry has become the major industry in the area...
. It then heads northeast, takes in the right tributary Park Head Creek, and turns west west of the community of Hepworth. The river takes in the right tributaries Spring Creek and Rankin River, passes over the Sauble Falls, and reaches Lake Huron at Sauble Beach.
Natural History
Sauble Falls Provincial ParkSauble Falls Provincial Park
Sauble Falls Provincial Park is located in the community of Sauble Falls, town of South Bruce Peninsula, Bruce County in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is in the lower drainage basin of the Sauble River, which flows into Lake Huron. The campground consists of two sections divided by County Road...
is located at the eponymous waterfalls.
The river hosts fish species such as brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, largemouth bass, northern pike, panfish, rainbow trout and walleye. The south (upper) Sauble River drainage basin has fair (15 to 20%) forest cover and poor (12.5 to 25%) riparian zone
Riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
forest cover, fair water quality and good benthic
Benthic zone
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean or a lake, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. Organisms living in this zone are called benthos. They generally live in close relationship with the substrate bottom; many such...
species; the north (lower) drainage basin has excellent (greater than 35%) forest cover and fair (25% to 50%) riparian zone forest cover, excellent water chemistry and good benthic species.
Tributaries
- Rankin River (right)
- Spring Creek (right)
- Park Head Creek (right)
- Arkwright Creek (left)
- Tara Creek (left)
- Keady Creek (right)
- Grimston Creek (left)