The Montreal River is a
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
in
Timiskaming District,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. It travels from its source at
Smoothwater Lake to its mouth at
Lake Timiskaming
Lake Timiskaming or Lake Temiskaming (, ) is a large freshwater lake on the Provinces and territories of Canada, provincial boundary between Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The lake, which forms part of the Ottawa River, is in length and covers ...
on the
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River (, ) is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word "to trade", as it was the major trade route of Eastern Canada at the time. For most of its length, it defines the border betw ...
. The river is a significant source of
hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
.
Course
The Montreal River has an inverted
check mark
The check or check mark (American English), checkmark ( Philippine English), tickmark ( Indian English) or tick ( Australian, New Zealand and British English) is a mark (✓, ✔, etc.) used in many countries, including the English-speaking ...
shape, first flowing north east, then south east to its mouth. It begins at Smoothwater Lake in
Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park.
Ishpatina Ridge, the highest point in Ontario, lies in the Montreal River
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
just south of Smoothwater Lake, and separates the headwaters of the Montreal River proper, to the northwest, and the headwaters of the tributary
Lady Evelyn River, which joins far downstream, to the southeast.
The river heads north, takes in several tributaries and reaches Inlet Bay on Gowganda Lake and the community of
Gowganda. The river exits the lake at Outlet Bay, passes under
Ontario Highway 560 and continues northeast. It reaches The Forks at
Matachewan and takes in the major left tributary West Montreal River. It continues northeast briefly to Fox Rapids, then turns southeast, passes under
Ontario Highway 65
King's Highway 65, commonly referred to as Highway 65, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The route begins at Highway 66 and travels southeast to the Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canad ...
, takes in the right tributary Sydney Creek and left tributary Council Creek and reaches the
Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation and "government business enterprise" that is responsible for approximately half of the electricity generation in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is w ...
(OPG) Indian Chute Generating Station and dam at Indian Chute Falls. The river continues southeast to the community of
Elk Lake, takes in the right tributary Makobe River and again passes under both Highway 65 and Highway 560. The river continues southeast, passes through the Mountain Chutes, takes in the major right tributary Lady Evelyn River at the community of
Mowat Landing, passes into Bay Lake and reaches the town of
Latchford. The river is paralleled by Highway 65 for the stretch Matachewan to Latchford.
The river heads over the Latchford Dam and under the
Sgt. Aubrey Cosens VC Memorial Bridge carrying
Ontario Highway 11, attains OPG Hound Chute Generating Station and dam and further downstream
Canadian Hydro Developers' Ragged Chute Generating Station and dam. The river flows over Fountain Falls and the Paugan Rapids, and enters the reservoir of the OPG Lower Notch Generating Station and dam. It then passes through the generating station to reach its mouth at Lake Timiskaming.
Ecology
Two bird banding stations are located in the Montreal River drainage basin. One is at Mountain Chutes southeast of Elk Lake, and a second at Gillies Lake just northeast of Latchford.
Tributaries
*Sandstone Creek (right)
*Giroux Creek (left)
*Hound Chute Creek (right)
*Gillies Creek (left)
*Loon Creek (left)
*Sucker Gut Creek (right)
*Gilchrist Creek (right)
*McLaren's Creek (left)
*Kitt Creek (right)
*Wadi's Creek (right)
*Lady Evelyn River (right)
*Moccasin Creek (right)
*Spray Creek (right)
*Barber Creek (right)
*Etwill Creek (right)
*Wabun Creek (left)
*Moosehorn Creek (right)
*Makobe River (right)
*Explorer Creek (right)
*Council Creek (left)
*Sydney Creek (right)
*Whiskeyjack Creek (left)
*West Montreal River (left)
*Miller Creek (right)
*Gowganda Lake
*Haines Creek (right)
*Okinada Creek (left)
*Smoothwater Lake
**Smith Creek
See also
*
List of rivers of Ontario
This is the list of rivers which are in and flow through Ontario. The watershed list includes tributaries as well.
Dee River, flows between Three Mile Lake and Lake Rosseau.
List of rivers arranged by watershed Hudson Bay
Atlantic Ocean
...
References
Sources
*
*
{{refend
Rivers of Timiskaming District