Ottawa River WatershedThe Ottawa River watershed, shown on the image to the right, is a secondary (second-order) watershed. The five watersheds within are tertiary (third-order) watersheds. All of these watersheds are included within the primary watersheds (will open in a new window).

Kitche-sippi, the Great River, was the original name given by Algonquin First Nations people who lived on its banks. The river was the first highway for the Algonquin people, giving them access to the resources of the wilderness and the means to trade them.

The Ottawa River is the second largest river the Eastern Canada. It stretches for 1271km and drains an area of 146,300km2. The Ottawa River watershed is a part of the Great Lakes St Lawrence watershed - the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world! The Ottawa River is the largest tributary of the St Lawrence River, and so the health of the Ottawa River directly effects the health of the St Lawrence River.

The Ottawa River begins deep in Québec just outside La Vérendrye Wildlife Refuge, flowing from here into Lake Temiskaming, then it runs all the way to the St Lawrence in the East along the border of Québec and Ontario until it reaches Montreal. 

• Drainage Area: 146, 300 sq. km
• General Direction Flow: East
• Headwaters: Just outside La Verendrye Wildlife Refuge, Québec
• Length: 1271 km
• Confluence: The St Lawrence River at Montreal
• Towns and Cities: 
• Approximate Population:
• Elevation: begins at an elevation of 430m in the west and drops to 20m at the mouth
• Predominant Land Cover: Boreal Shields and Mixedwood Plains
• Predominant Land Use: Forestry and Agriculture
• Major Tributaries:
  Upper Ottawa River tributaries - Camachigama, Capitachouane, Chochouane, Darlens, Kinojéris, Blanquet and Wabi Creek.
  From Lake Temiscaming to the mouth - Kipawa, Montreal, Mattawa, Petawawa, Bonnechere, Madawaska, Mississipi, Rideau, South Nation, Rigaud, Maganasipi, Dumoine, Noire, Coulonge, Gatineau, Liévre, Blanche, Petit Nation and Rouge.

• Original Settlement: The Algonquin people were the first to settle in the tributaries of the Ottawa River.