South Nation River
Encyclopedia
The South Nation River is a river in Eastern Ontario
, Canada
. It springs from forests and marshes located north of Brockville
and it flows 175 km northeast to empty into the Ottawa River
north of Plantagenet. Its watershed covers 3,900 km².
This river is called the "South Nation River" to distinguish it from a river in Quebec
north of the Ottawa River called the Petite-Nation River
or rivière Petite-Nation. The names of both rivers are derived from the French
name for the native people of this area, the Weskarini.
The area surrounding the river, originally covered with white pine
, is now mainly used for agriculture. The river drains an almost flat plain, and hence its lack of gradient
makes it prone to flooding. Dams and other water control measures have been introduced to help reduce the impact of seasonal flood
ing in the watershed.
In some areas the river flows through Leda clays which can be very unstable. Several landslide
s have occurred over the past century including a major one near the former town of Lemieux
on June 20, 1993. Approximately 3 million m³ of mud and clay slid into the river valley, blocking the river's flow for three days.
Four kilometers of river to the south of Spencerville
is good for canoeing
during most water conditions. There is a public boat launch at the old mill.
Tributaries include (in downstream order):
Communities along the river include (in downstream order):
Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
, 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...
. It springs from forests and marshes located north of Brockville
Brockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
and it flows 175 km northeast to empty into the Ottawa River
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:...
north of Plantagenet. Its watershed covers 3,900 km².
This river is called the "South Nation River" to distinguish it from a river in 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....
north of the Ottawa River called the Petite-Nation River
Petite-Nation River
The Petite-Nation River is a river in western Quebec, Canada, that flows from the Laurentian mountains to empty into the Ottawa River near Plaisance, Quebec. The river is 97 km in length....
or rivière Petite-Nation. The names of both rivers are derived from the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
name for the native people of this area, the Weskarini.
The area surrounding the river, originally covered with white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
, is now mainly used for agriculture. The river drains an almost flat plain, and hence its lack of gradient
Gradient
In vector calculus, the gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that points in the direction of the greatest rate of increase of the scalar field, and whose magnitude is the greatest rate of change....
makes it prone to flooding. Dams and other water control measures have been introduced to help reduce the impact of seasonal flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing in the watershed.
In some areas the river flows through Leda clays which can be very unstable. Several landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s have occurred over the past century including a major one near the former town of Lemieux
Lemieux, Ontario
Lemieux is a ghost town in the Canadian province of Ontario, which was located on the shore of the South Nation River in the Prescott and Russell County township of South Plantagenet...
on June 20, 1993. Approximately 3 million m³ of mud and clay slid into the river valley, blocking the river's flow for three days.
Four kilometers of river to the south of Spencerville
Spencerville, Ontario
The village of Spencerville is a rural community located in Eastern Ontario, about 80 kilometres southwest of downtown Ottawa on Highway 416. The village lies within the amalgamated municipality of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.The twinning of former Highway 16...
is good for canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
during most water conditions. There is a public boat launch at the old mill.
Tributaries include (in downstream order):
- North Branch South Nation River
- Sandy Creek
- Payne River
- various branches of the Castor RiverCastor River (Ontario)The Castor River is a river in eastern Ontario, in Canada. It flows into the South Nation River near Casselman. It has a number of branches, including the North, Middle, South and East Castor Rivers which join in Embrun...
- Moose Creek
- Bear BrookBear Brook (Ontario)Bear Brook is a small creek in the Eastern Ontario region, mostly located within the municipal boundaries of Ottawa and Clarence–Rockland. It forms in the fields and forests just north of Edwards, and flows in a mostly eastern direction to its mouth in the South Nation River...
- Scotch River
- Caledonia Creek
Communities along the river include (in downstream order):
- SpencervilleSpencerville, OntarioThe village of Spencerville is a rural community located in Eastern Ontario, about 80 kilometres southwest of downtown Ottawa on Highway 416. The village lies within the amalgamated municipality of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.The twinning of former Highway 16...
- South MountainNorth Dundas, OntarioNorth Dundas is a township in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and spread across the South Nation River and the East Castor River watersheds....
- ChestervilleNorth Dundas, OntarioNorth Dundas is a township in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and spread across the South Nation River and the East Castor River watersheds....
- CryslerNorth Stormont, OntarioNorth Stormont is a lower tier township in eastern Ontario, Canada in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. The township was incorporated on January 1, 1998 by amalgamating the former townships of Finch and Roxborough with the independent village of Finch.-Communities:The township...
- St. AlbertSt. Albert, OntarioSt. Albert is a small town in The Nation Township in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located on the South Nation River, about five minutes away from Casselman and about 15 minutes away from the town of Embrun....
- CasselmanCasselman, OntarioCasselman is a village in eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell on the South Nation River.It is a village on the Trans-Canada Highway 417 between Ottawa and Montreal at the crossroads of Regional Road 7, about 55 km southeast of downtown Ottawa. Highway 138 to...
- Plantagenet