Lac Deschênes
Encyclopedia
Lac Deschênes is a 27-mile long lake on the Ottawa River
that runs from the Chats Falls
hydro dam near Fitzroy Harbour
in the west to the Deschênes Rapids in the east. It is a little over two miles wide at its widest point and little more than a few hundred yards at its narrowest. The provincial border between Ontario
and Quebec
runs through the length of the lake with the City of Ottawa
on its southern shore and the city of Gatineau
on much of its northern shore. The shoreline is mostly gently sloped and composed of broken limestone interspersed with smaller sections of aquatic shoreline vegetation or mudflats. Above the Chats Falls dam is Lac des Chats
. Below Britannia is a series of rapids and waterfalls culminating with the Chaudière Falls
. Between the rapids and the falls, the river is not navigable.
established in 1979 but now the largest of the Ottawa area sailing clubs. It is located in Dick Bell
Park on Carling Avenue
in the former City of Nepean
.
The Lac Deschênes Sailing Club and the Kanata Sailing Club are the two smaller clubs consisting primarily of dinghy fleets. On the Quebec side of the lake is the Club de voile Grande-Rivière located at the Aylmer Marina.
Further upstream on the Ontario side is the Port of Call Marina. Numerous launch ramps exist on both sides of the lake. On the Ontario side, these are located at Fitzroy Harbour, Buckham’s Bay, Port of Call Marina, Shirleys Bay, and the Nepean Sailing Club. A small public dock exists at Pinhey's Point while the village of Quyon
maintains much larger public dock facilities near the western end of the lake.
Access between Ontario and Quebec across Lac Deschênes is provided by a ferry service between West Carleton
and Quyon. Although a bridge has been proposed, it has not yet received approval.
Canadian Hydrographic Service
Chart 1550 - Britannia Bay to Chats Falls covers the whole of Lac Deschênes. The Canadian Coast Guard
maintains lights and buoys on the lake, however local emergency services in Ottawa and Gatineau are responsible for providing search and rescue services within their respective city boundaries. The nearest Coast Guard radio is in Prescott
(VHF Ch. 16 or cellular telephone *16) however dialling 911 is the most effective means of reaching local emergency services.
Chart datum is 57.9 meters above sea level. Current water levels can be found on the Ottawa River Levels website. Water levels fluctuate on Lac Deschênes approximately 0.9 m annually, with the high on average of
58.8 m occurring during the spring freshet and the low on average of 57.9 m occurring during September. Water levels are affected strictly by the flows being passed from upstream. Waters are slow flowing except immediately below the dam at Chats Falls and again at Britannia Rapids. Although much of Lac Deschênes is relatively shallow, generally less than 9.0 m, there is a deep trough between Twelve Mile Island and Aylmer Island that reaches depths of 49 m.
, pickerel (walleye)
, muskie
, and pike
. Catfish
abound in many of the bays.
, Herring
and Great Black-backed gulls
are abundant as well as various other waterfowl species. Large numbers of Canada Geese
and other waterbirds stop at the lake during their fall migration. Mallard
s have been seen particularly in the Shirleys Bay area. Red-throated Loons, Arctic Tern
s, and Common Tern
s have also been spotted. Moderate numbers of shorebirds concentrate in the muddier parts of the shoreline such as at Shirleys Bay and Andrew Hayden Park. A colony of purple martins
makes their home at the Nepean Sailing Club.
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
that runs from the Chats Falls
Chats Falls
Chats Falls were a set of waterfalls on the Ottawa River, near Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario, and Quyon, Quebec, Canada. A hydroelectric generating station is now located here, owned and operated jointly by Hydro-Québec and Ontario Power Generation...
hydro dam near Fitzroy Harbour
Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario
Fitzroy Harbour is a small village within the city of Ottawa in eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Ottawa River at the mouth of the Carp River. A branch of the Mississippi River, known as the Snye, also empties into the Ottawa to the west of the village.The town was founded by Charles...
in the west to the Deschênes Rapids in the east. It is a little over two miles wide at its widest point and little more than a few hundred yards at its narrowest. The provincial border between Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
runs through the length of the lake with the City of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
on its southern shore and the city of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
on much of its northern shore. The shoreline is mostly gently sloped and composed of broken limestone interspersed with smaller sections of aquatic shoreline vegetation or mudflats. Above the Chats Falls dam is Lac des Chats
Lac des Chats
Lac des Chats is a lake on the Ottawa River that forms the boundary between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec . It is formed by the Chats Falls dam and serves as the reservoir for the Chats Falls generating station...
. Below Britannia is a series of rapids and waterfalls culminating with the Chaudière Falls
Chaudière Falls
The Chaudière Falls are a set of cascades and waterfall in the centre of the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area in Canada where the Ottawa River narrows between a rocky escarpment on both sides of the river. The location is just west of the Chaudière Bridge, northwest of the Canadian War Museum at...
. Between the rapids and the falls, the river is not navigable.
Recreational Boating and Sailing
Lac Deschênes is used for recreational boating and sailing. It is home to five sailing clubs and one commercial marina. Britannia Yacht Club is the oldest, established in 1887. It is located at the eastern end of the lake near the Deschênes Rapids. Next is the Nepean Sailing ClubNepean Sailing Club
The Nepean Sailing Club is located on Lac Deschenes in Ottawa, Canada. The club is based in Dick Bell park, along Carling Avenue, adjacent to Andrew Haydon Park.-History:The club was officially opened on July 29, 1979 with an initial membership of 350...
established in 1979 but now the largest of the Ottawa area sailing clubs. It is located in Dick Bell
Dick Bell
Richard Albert "Dick" Bell, PC was a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Carleton from 1957 to 1963 and from 1965 to 1968.He was born at Britannia Bay in Nepean Township, Ontario in 1913...
Park on Carling Avenue
Carling Avenue
Carling Avenue is a major east-west arterial road in the west end of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs from March Road in Kanata to Bronson Avenue in the Glebe...
in the former City of Nepean
Nepean
-People:* Augustus Nepean , Middlesex county cricketer* Charles Nepean , Middlesex county cricketer and Oxford University footballer* Evan Nepean , British politician and colonial administrator...
.
The Lac Deschênes Sailing Club and the Kanata Sailing Club are the two smaller clubs consisting primarily of dinghy fleets. On the Quebec side of the lake is the Club de voile Grande-Rivière located at the Aylmer Marina.
Further upstream on the Ontario side is the Port of Call Marina. Numerous launch ramps exist on both sides of the lake. On the Ontario side, these are located at Fitzroy Harbour, Buckham’s Bay, Port of Call Marina, Shirleys Bay, and the Nepean Sailing Club. A small public dock exists at Pinhey's Point while the village of Quyon
Quyon, Quebec
Quyon is a village in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It is located within the Pontiac Municipality.-Geography:...
maintains much larger public dock facilities near the western end of the lake.
Access between Ontario and Quebec across Lac Deschênes is provided by a ferry service between West Carleton
West Carleton Township, Ontario
West Carleton is a historic township in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located in the rural parts of the new City of Ottawa, west of Kanata. Its northern boundary is the Ottawa River....
and Quyon. Although a bridge has been proposed, it has not yet received approval.
Canadian Hydrographic Service
Canadian Hydrographic Service
The Canadian Hydrographic Service is Canada's hydrographic office, with responsibility for performing hydrographic surveys and publishing paper and electronic nautical charts...
Chart 1550 - Britannia Bay to Chats Falls covers the whole of Lac Deschênes. The Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
maintains lights and buoys on the lake, however local emergency services in Ottawa and Gatineau are responsible for providing search and rescue services within their respective city boundaries. The nearest Coast Guard radio is in Prescott
Prescott, Ontario
Prescott is a town of approximately 4,180 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 km east of Prescott in Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York...
(VHF Ch. 16 or cellular telephone *16) however dialling 911 is the most effective means of reaching local emergency services.
Chart datum is 57.9 meters above sea level. Current water levels can be found on the Ottawa River Levels website. Water levels fluctuate on Lac Deschênes approximately 0.9 m annually, with the high on average of
58.8 m occurring during the spring freshet and the low on average of 57.9 m occurring during September. Water levels are affected strictly by the flows being passed from upstream. Waters are slow flowing except immediately below the dam at Chats Falls and again at Britannia Rapids. Although much of Lac Deschênes is relatively shallow, generally less than 9.0 m, there is a deep trough between Twelve Mile Island and Aylmer Island that reaches depths of 49 m.
Fishing
Numerous species of sport fish can be found in Lac Deschênes including black crappieCrappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, pickerel (walleye)
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, muskie
Muskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
, and pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
. Catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
abound in many of the bays.
Birding
Ring-billedRing-billed Gull
The Ring-billed Gull is a medium-sized gull.Adults are length and with a wingspan. The head, neck and underparts are white; the relatively short bill is yellow with a dark ring; the back and wings are silver gray; and the legs are yellow. The eyes are yellow with red rims...
, Herring
American Herring Gull
The American Herring Gull or Smithsonian Gull is a large gull which breeds in North America. It is often treated as a subspecies of the European Herring Gull but is now regarded as a separate species by some authorities.Adults are white with gray back and wings, black wingtips with white spots,...
and Great Black-backed gulls
Great Black-backed Gull
The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull in the world, which breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the North Atlantic...
are abundant as well as various other waterfowl species. Large numbers of Canada Geese
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
and other waterbirds stop at the lake during their fall migration. Mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
s have been seen particularly in the Shirleys Bay area. Red-throated Loons, Arctic Tern
Arctic Tern
The Arctic Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America...
s, and Common Tern
Common Tern
The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes...
s have also been spotted. Moderate numbers of shorebirds concentrate in the muddier parts of the shoreline such as at Shirleys Bay and Andrew Hayden Park. A colony of purple martins
Purple Martin
The Purple Martin is the largest North American swallow. These aerial acrobats have speed and agility in flight, and when approaching their housing, will dive from the sky at great speeds with their wings tucked.-Description and taxonomy:...
makes their home at the Nepean Sailing Club.