Ottawa River (Lake Erie)
The Ottawa River, also known as Ottawa Creek, is a short river, approximately 20 miles (32 km) long[1] (or about 48 miles (77 km)[1] if Tenmile Creek, the longest tributary, is included), in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan in the United States.[2] It drains an area on the Ohio-Michigan border along the eastern and northern fringes of the city of Toledo, goes through Ottawa Hills, and empties directly into Lake Erie. It is one of two rivers in northwestern Ohio that share the same name, along with the Ottawa River that is a tributary of the Auglaize River. The upper 4 miles (6 km) of the river in Michigan north of Sylvania, Ohio is called North Tenmile Creek on federal maps,[3] while another branch rising in Fulton County, Ohio, is called Tenmile Creek.[4]
| Ottawa River | |
|---|---|
 The Ottawa River in Wildwood Preserve Metropark | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Southeast Michigan |
| Mouth | |
• location | Lake Erie |
| Length | 15 mi (24 km) |
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North Tenmile Creek rises in extreme southeastern Michigan, southwest of Ottawa Lake, approximately 3 miles (5 km) north of the Ohio-Michigan state line. The creek flows south across the state line to Sylvania, where it is joined by Tenmile Creek to form the Ottawa River, approximately 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Toledo. The river then flows southeast into western Toledo, where it turns northeast. For its lower 5 miles (8 km) it flows along the north side of Toledo roughly parallel to the Maumee River, separated from it by approximately 2 miles (3 km). It crosses the Michigan state line for its final 1 mile (1.6 km), entering Little Maumee Bay on Lake Erie.
Pollutants
The water quality assessment of the lower section of the Ottawa River found many chemicals in the water with a hazard quotient greater than 1 (from highest to lowest concentration): lead, aluminum, PCBs, manganese, iron, DDT, thallium, selenium, chromium, nickel, cadmium, cyanide, and zinc.[5]
The poor water quality results primarily from the river's form and structure, since it has a slow flow, and, secondly, from urban runoff and discharge from landfills and sewers. The City of Toledo has made it a priority to clean up the river. It has taken action to clear landfills and tributaries.[6]
Dam removal
In 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the removal of a long-standing dam in the Ottawa Hills stretch of the river to return the waterway to its natural flow and promote fish migration. It was also mentioned that the dam was a liability for the village.[7] One dam was removed in 2007[8] and another in 2020.[9]
References
- U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 19, 2011
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ottawa River
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Tenmile Creek
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tenmile Creek
- "Parametrix Report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2006-10-14. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
- "Landfill Cleanup Progress on the Ottawa River" (Press release). Toledo, Ohio: toledo.oh.gov. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
- "toledoblade.com - Ottawa Hills: Public hearing discusses future of dam". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- "Microsoft Word - 1002.doc" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2007-02-21. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
- "Dam removal and mussel relocation to help improve Ottawa River quality". Aug 27, 2020. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
External links
- University of Toledo Presidents Commission on the River, a commission of University of Toledo faculty, staff, and students working to clean up the Ottawa River.
