Severn River (central Ontario)
Encyclopedia
The Severn River is a river in central Ontario
, Canada. Its headwaters are located at the north end of Lake Couchiching
. It drains Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe
. The river flows generally northwest into Georgian Bay
, a large bay of Lake Huron
.
The Severn forms part of the inland canal
system known as the Trent-Severn Waterway
, which links Port Severn on Georgian Bay
with Trenton
on Lake Ontario
via the Trent Canal. From the middle of the 19th century up until the completion of the canal in 1920, the Severn was used to transport logs to sawmill
s down river. There are two hydroelectric stations at falls located on its course.
The central Ontario Severn River is only 30 km (18.6 mi) long. The river services seasonal cottagers, as many of the properties are accessible only by boat. Some year-round residents live on the Severn. The river sees many yachts/cruisers travelling from Lake Couchiching to Georgian Bay, or vice-versa.
Big Chute Marine Railway
is one of only two operating marine-railways in all of the world. The other operates in Russia. The Big Chute is a major tourist attraction, and provides access to and from Gloucester Pool, below the Severn. The River sees many overnight campers, although overnight camping is forbidden on many sections of the Severn, including Lost Channel (location of the old fire tower) and Pretty Channel. This law is enforced by police supervision.
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....
, Canada. Its headwaters are located at the north end of Lake Couchiching
Lake Couchiching
Lake Couchiching, from the Ojibwe gojijiing meaning "inlet", is a small lake in Central Ontario separated from Lake Simcoe by a narrow channel. The Trent-Severn Waterway enters Lake Simcoe by the Talbot River and exits this lake by the Severn River which empties into Georgian Bay...
. It drains Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...
. The river flows generally northwest into Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
, a large bay of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
.
The Severn forms part of the inland canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
system known as the Trent-Severn Waterway
Trent-Severn Waterway
The Trent–Severn Waterway is a Canadian canal system formerly used for industrial and transportation purposes and now for recreational and tourism purposes, connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay portion of Lake Huron at Port Severn...
, which links Port Severn on Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
with Trenton
Trenton, Ontario
Trenton is a community in Southern Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the main population centre in Quinte West....
on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
via the Trent Canal. From the middle of the 19th century up until the completion of the canal in 1920, the Severn was used to transport logs to sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s down river. There are two hydroelectric stations at falls located on its course.
The central Ontario Severn River is only 30 km (18.6 mi) long. The river services seasonal cottagers, as many of the properties are accessible only by boat. Some year-round residents live on the Severn. The river sees many yachts/cruisers travelling from Lake Couchiching to Georgian Bay, or vice-versa.
Big Chute Marine Railway
Big Chute Marine Railway
Big Chute Marine Railway is a boat lift at Lock 44 of the Trent-Severn Waterway in Ontario, Canada. It works on an inclined plane to carry boats in individual cradles over a change of height of about...
is one of only two operating marine-railways in all of the world. The other operates in Russia. The Big Chute is a major tourist attraction, and provides access to and from Gloucester Pool, below the Severn. The River sees many overnight campers, although overnight camping is forbidden on many sections of the Severn, including Lost Channel (location of the old fire tower) and Pretty Channel. This law is enforced by police supervision.