Chaudière Falls
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the identically named falls on the Chaudière River, see: Chaudière River.
The Chaudière Falls are a set of cascades and waterfall in the centre of the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area (Canada) where the Ottawa River narrows between a rocky escarpment on both sides of the river. The falls are about 60 m (200 ft) wide and drop 15 m (50 ft).
The name of the falls come from the French Chutes de la Chaudière, meaning "Cauldron Falls" but has been historically translated as "Kettle Falls". The shape of the falls before its development resembled a large cauldron.
The damming of the river and the presence of industry have greatly altered the waterfall's appearance, especially in the summer when the Ottawa River is low. Then the falls all but disappear because the water is diverted to power stations. The development also greatly limits the locations from which to view the falls.
[edit] History
In the days of the fur trade, the Chaudière Falls were an obstacle along the Ottawa River trade route. Canoes were portaged around the falls at the present day site of down-town Hull, Quebec.
The arrival of Philemon Wright to this area in 1800 marked the start of the development of the city of Hull. In 1827, the region's first bridge (Chaudière Bridge) was built close to the falls. When the logging industry began in this area and farther upstream, the falls were also an obstacle for log driving. In 1829, Ruggles Wright (son of Philemon Wright) built the first timber slide, allowing logs and timber rafts to bypass the falls along the north shore.
Since then, all the islands and shores at the Chaudière Falls have been developed and the river's flow and drop have long been harnassed to operate paper mills and power stations. The E. B. Eddy Company still operates mills and both Hydro Ottawa and Hydro-Québec operate run-of-the-river hydro-electric generating stations at the falls.
