Geography of Ottawa

This is the outline of the geography of the city of Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Ottawa's current borders were formed in 2001, when the former city of Ottawa amalgamated with the ten other municipalities within the former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. Ottawa is now a single-tiered Census division, home to 900,000 people.

The city centre is located at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers. The Ottawa River forms the entire northern boundary of the city which it shares with the province of Quebec's municipalities of Pontiac and Gatineau. The northern boundary begins in the west at Arnprior and continues east to Rockland. The boundary then turns south in a straight line, separating the former Township of Cumberland (now in Ottawa) and the City of Clarence-Rockland. It then turns west in another straight line separating the former Township of Cumberland with the municipalities of The Nation and Russell. It then turns south separating Russell from the former Township of Osgoode (now in Ottawa). That boundary runs south in a straight line, then turns west separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Dundas. That boundary runs west in a straight line before turning north separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Grenville. This is another straight line, running north until the Rideau River near Kemptville. The boundary follows the River upsteam until almost reaching Merickville. The boundary then runs in a northwest direction in a straight line with a number of jogs. It separates the municipalities of Montague, Beckwith and Mississippi Mills from the former townships of Marlborough, Goulbourn, Huntley and Fitzroy.

Contents

Former townships

What is now Ottawa was once divided geographically into 11 townships. Ten of them in the former Carleton and one (Cumberland) in the former Russell County. The ten townships of Carleton were Fitzroy, Gloucester, Goulbourn, Huntley, March, Marlborough, Nepean, North Gower, Osgoode and Torbolton.

Physical geography

The highest point in the city is 166 m (545 ft) above sea level, and is located 2.6 km SSE of Manion Corners (45° 14' 5" N; 76° 3' 3" W). [1] The lowest point in the city is the Ottawa River, at 44m above sea level.

Highest points by ward

Ward Highest point Elevation (aprox.)
West Carleton-March Ward 2.6 km SSE of Manion Corners 166m
Rideau-Goulbourn Ward Jenkinson Road Quarry 150m+
College Ward Near Richmond Road and Hope Side Road 130m+
Kanata South Ward Castlefrank Rd Reservoir 130m+
Kanata North Ward Near Richardson Road and Carp River 127m
Stittsville Ward Somewhere in south Stittsville 120m+
Osgoode Ward Near Rideau Rd and Bank Street 120m+
Cumberland Ward Quigley Hill 120m+
Knoxdale-Merivale Ward Cedarview Road at Cedarhill Drive 120m+
Barrhaven Ward Highway 416, Cedar Hill Estates 120m+
Bay Ward Ottawa - Nepean Tent & Trailer Park 110m+
Gloucester-Southgate Ward Macdonald-Cartier International Airport 110m+
River Ward Macdonald-Cartier International Airport 110m+
Gloucester-Southgate Ward Macdonald-Cartier International Airport 110m+
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Quarry Park, Rothwell Heights 110m+
Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward Brunel Street, Finter Quarries 110m+
Alta Vista Ward Alta Vista 100m+
Innes Ward Near Innes Road and Viseneau Dr 90m+
Orleans Ward Innes Road and Mer Bleu Road 90m+
Capital Ward Bank St and Walkley Rd 90m+
Somerset Ward Nanny Goat Hill 80m+
Kitchissippi Ward Carling Ave and Island Park Dr 80m+
Rideau-Vanier Ward Sandy Hill 70m+

Rivers and creeks

Tributaries of the Ottawa River (from east to west)
Tributaries of the Rideau River (from north to south)
Others

Lakes

Features of the Ottawa River

(from East to West)

Features of the Rideau River

(from North to South)

Other geographical features

Sources