The Credit River is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

in southern

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, which flows from headwaters above the

Niagara Escarpment The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in Canada and the United States that runs predominantly east–west from New York through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, and into Illinois. The escarpment is most famous as the cliff ove ...

near Orangeville and Caledon East to empty into

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...

Port Credit Port Credit is a neighbourhood in the south-central part of the City of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located at the mouth of the Credit River on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Its main intersection is Hurontario Street and Lakeshore Road ...

Mississauga Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popu ...

. It drains an area of approximately . The total length of the river and its tributary streams is over . Despite

urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly th ...

and associated problems with

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

on the lower section of this river, it provides

spawning Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquat ...

areas for

Chinook salmon The Chinook salmon (''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'') is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon in North America, as well as the largest in the genus '' Oncorhynchus''. Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other ...

and

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coast ...

. There is a fish ladder on the river at

Streetsville Streetsville (pop. 47,327) is a neighbourhood located in the northwestern corner of the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on the Credit River. Although Streetsville occupies the west and east banks of the river, the majority is located on the ...

. Much of the river can still be travelled by

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the ter ...

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word '' qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each s ...

. The headwaters of the Credit River is home to a native self-sustaining

brook trout The brook trout (''Salvelinus fontinalis'') is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus ''Salvelinus'' of the salmon family Salmonidae. It is native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada, but has been introduced elsewhere ...

population and an introduced

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morp ...

population.

Credit Valley Conservation Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario, Canada, responsible for protecting, restoring, and managing natural resources at the watershed level. CVC operates within the Credit River watershed and smaller ...

, the local watershed management conservation authority, operates several Conservation Areas including Belfountain, Island Lake, and Terra Cotta. Caledon Lake in Peel Region, GTA, Ontario, Canada

Caledon Lake in Peel Region, GTA, Ontario, Canada

Forks of the Credit Provincial Park is located on the upper part of the river between Brampton and Orangeville, and is near the

Bruce Trail The Bruce Trail is a hiking trail in southern Ontario, Canada, from the Niagara River to the tip of Tobermory, Ontario. The main trail is more than long and there are over of associated side trails. The trail mostly follows the edge of the Niag ...

. Communities in the river's watershed include the following: * City of Brampton *

City of Mississauga Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popul ...

* Township of Amaranth * Town of Caledon * Township of East Garafraxa * Town of Halton Hills * Town of Mono * Town of Orangeville

Naming

The river became known as ''Missinnihe'' ( Eastern Ojibwa: "trusting creek") to the

Mississaugas The Mississauga are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations peoples located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwe. The name "Mississauga" comes from the Anishinaabe word ''Misi-zaagiing'', meaning " ho ...

First Nation who met annually with white traders there. To the First Nations, the river was "held in reverential estimation as the favourite resort of their ancestors" and the band, which ranged from Long Point on Lake Erie to the Rouge River on Lake Ontario, became known as the Credit River Indians. Their descendants are today the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. The origins of the English name come from the time when

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal ecosystem, boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals h ...

rs supplied goods to the native people in advance (on credit) against furs which would be delivered the following spring. It was known as the Rivière au Crédit. The trading post was set up at the mouth of the river, in

, in the early 18th century.

Watershed population and land use

As of the 2006 census, 750,000 people live in the watershed. Of those, 87 percent live in the lower third of the watershed. Population growth is approximately 3 percent per year. In 1999, 21 percent of the watershed was developed. By 2020, 40 percent of the watershed will be developed (based on approved development and the official plans of the municipalities).

Plants and animals

The Credit River is home to a wide range of wildlife. Some species are permanent or seasonal residents while others are sighted occasionally. This watershed is home to 1,330 plant species, 64 fish species (including many

bait fish 300px, Feeder Goldfish are common baitfish. Bait fish (or baitfish) are small-sized fish caught and used by anglers as bait to attract larger predatory fish, particularly game fish. Baitfish species are typically those that are common and bre ...

, pike, and brook trout), 41 mammal species, 5 turtle species, 8 snake species, 17 amphibian species, and 244 bird species.

Turtle species (5)

Common snapping turtle The common snapping turtle (''Chelydra serpentina'') is a species of large freshwater turtle in the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia ...

, ''Chelydra serpentina'' * Midland

painted turtle The painted turtle (''Chrysemys picta'') is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They have been shown to prefer l ...

, ''Chrysemys picta marginata'' * Red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta elegans'' * Blanding's turtle, ''Emydoidea blandingii'' * Common map turtle, ''Graptemys geographica''

Snake species (8)

* Eastern garter snake, ''Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis'' *

Northern redbelly snake The northern redbelly snake (''Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata'') is a nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae, a subspecies of ''Storeria occipitomaculata''. It is sometimes referred to as a fire snake. It is endemic, North America ...

, ''Storeria occipitomaculata'' * Northern brown snake, ''Storeria dekayi'' * Northern ringneck snake, ''Diadophis punctatus edwardsii'' * Eastern milk snake, ''Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum'' * Northern water snake, ''Nerodia sipedon'' * Smooth green snake, ''Opheodrys vernalis'' * Northern ribbon snake, ''Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis''

Amphibian species (17)

* Common mudpuppy, ''Necturus maculosus maculosus'' * Red-spotted newt (eastern), ''Notophthalmus viridescens'' *

Jefferson salamander The Jefferson salamander (''Ambystoma jeffersonianum'') is a mole salamander native to the northeastern United States, southern and central Ontario, and southwestern Quebec. It was named after Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. It is typically ...

, ''Ambystoma jeffersonianum'' ** "Silvery salamander" ** "Tremblay's salamander" *

Blue-spotted salamander The blue-spotted salamander (''Ambystoma laterale'') is a mole salamander native to the Great Lakes states and northeastern United States, and parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Their range is known to extend to James Bay to the north, and ...

, ''Ambystoma laterale'' * Northern redback salamander, ''Plethodon cinereus'' * Four-toed salamander, ''Hemidactylium scutatum'' *

Spotted salamander The spotted salamander or yellow-spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum'') is a mole salamander common in eastern United States and Canada. The spotted salamander is the state amphibian of Ohio and South Carolina. This salamander ranges from N ...

, ''Ambystoma maculatum'' * Eastern American toad, ''Anaxyrus americanus'' ''americanus'' * Northern spring peeper, ''Pseudacris crucifer crucifer'' * Tetraploid grey treefrog, ''Hyla versicolor'' * Striped chorus frog (western), ''Pseudacris triseriata triseriata'' *

Wood frog ''Lithobates sylvaticus'' or ''Rana sylvatica'', commonly known as the wood frog, is a frog species that has a broad distribution over North America, extending from the boreal forest of the north to the southern Appalachians, with several nota ...

, ''Lithobates sylvaticus'' *

Northern leopard frog ''Lithobates pipiens''Integrated Taxonomic Information System nternet2012''Lithobates pipiens'' pdated 2012 Sept; cited 2012 Dec 26Available from: www.itis.gov/ or ''Rana pipiens'', commonly known as the northern leopard frog, is a species of le ...

, ''Lithobates pipiens'' * Pickerel frog, ''Lithobates palustris'' * Green frog, ''Lithobates clamitans'' *

Mink frog The mink frog (''Lithobates septentrionalis'') is a small species of frog native to the United States and Canada. They are so named for their scent, which reportedly smells like a mink. The scent is more akin to that of rotting onions to thos ...

, ''Lithobates septentrionalis'' * Bullfrog, ''Lithobates catesbeianus''

In popular culture

The Canadian

indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produ ...

band

The Constantines Constantines is an indie rock band from Guelph, Ontario, Canada. History Constantines was formed in 1999 by vocalist and guitarist Bryan Webb, drummer Doug MacGregor and guitarist Paul Bright, all of whom had played together in the emo band Sho ...

entitled a track "Credit River" on their 2008 album '' Kensington Heights''.

Bridges

List of major roadways crossing over the Credit in Peel Region: * Lakeshore Road - 4 lane steel box girder bridge * Queen Elizabeth Way - two span open spandrel

deck arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct (a ...

s built in 1934 and widened 1960; maybe demolished and replaced pending review *

Dundas Street Dundas Street is a major historic arterial road in Ontario, Canada. The road connects the city of Toronto with its western suburbs and several cities in southwestern Ontario. Three provincial highways— 2, 5, and 99—followed long section ...

West - two separate span steel box girder bridges * Burnhamthorpe Road West - two separate span concrete bridges *

Ontario Highway 403 King's Highway403 (pronounced "four-oh-three"), or simply Highway403, is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that travels between Woodstock and Mississauga, branching off from and reuniting with Highway 401 at both e ...

- 8 lane concrete girder overpass(es) *

Eglinton Avenue Eglinton Avenue is a major east–west arterial thoroughfare in Toronto and Mississauga in the Canadian province of Ontario. The street begins at Highway 407 (but does not interchange with the tollway) at the western limits of Mississauga, as a ...

West - two separate span concrete bridges ** a lower small steel truss bridge for pedestrian trail visible from the north side * Bristol Road West - two lane concrete girder bridge * Britannia Road - 4 lane concrete overpass * Creditview Road - concrete overpass being widened with new span to accommodate 4 lanes *

Ontario Highway 401 King's Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one, is a controlled-access 400-series highway in the Canadian provi ...

- 6 lane concrete girder overpasses * Old

Derry Road This article lists all of the numbered regional roads in the Regional Municipality of Halton, Ontario The Regional Municipality of Halton, or Halton Region, is a regional municipality in Ontario, Canada, located in the Golden Horseshoe of S ...

West - two lane steel Warren truss bridge (c. 1930 and rehabilitated in 2005) *

- 6 lane concrete overpass *

Ontario Highway 407 King's Highway 407, commonly referred to as Highway 407 and colloquially as the "four-oh-seven", is a tolled 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Comprising a privately leased segment as well as a publicly owned segment, the ...

- two separate span 8 lane concrete girder overpasses *

Steeles Avenue Steeles Avenue is an east–west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region in Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western and central Greater Toronto Area from Appleby Line in Milton in th ...

West - 4 lane concrete girder overpass * Creditview Road - single lane concrete bowstring bridge c. 1928 * Mississauga Road - 4 lane concrete girder overpass near Queen Street in Brampton * Heritage Road - 2 lane concrete overpass * Ontario Highway 7 / Guelph Street - 2 lane overpass Most of the bridges were built in the mid-20th century or later. Only the Queen Elizabeth Way and Old Derry Road West bridges are older. CP Rail and

CN Rail The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN ...

have steel deck truss bridges crossing over the Credit River.

References

Sources

External links

Fishing the Credit River
Steelhead, Salmon and Trout
Credit Valley Conservation
{{Authority control Rivers of Dufferin County Tributaries of Lake Ontario Rivers of Mississauga