Annapolis River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Annapolis River
Annapolis River
Country	Canada
Province	Nova Scotia
Physical characteristics
Main source	Caribou Bog Kings County
River mouth	Annapolis Basin Port Royal, Annapolis County sea level Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Length	120 km (75 mi)
Basin features
Basin size	2,279 km2 (880 sq mi)

The Annapolis River (called Rivière Annapolis in French) is an important river in Nova Scotia, Canada. It flows through the beautiful Annapolis Valley. This river has played a big part in the history and farming of the region.

River Journey and Surroundings

The Annapolis River is about 120 kilometres (75 miles) long. It starts in a wet area called Caribou Bog, which is about 50 metres (160 feet) above sea level. This bog is near the towns of Aylesford and Berwick.

The river flows southwest through the western part of the valley. It ends at Port Royal. Here, it empties into the Annapolis Basin. The part of the river from Bridgetown to Port Royal is an estuary. This means it's where the river meets the sea. The water level here can change a lot, up to 7.5 metres (25 feet), between high and low tides.

The Annapolis Valley is known for its rich farmland. The river flows through some of the best farming areas in Nova Scotia. The valley has a mild climate because of the North and South mountains. It is also close to the Bay of Fundy. These conditions are perfect for growing fruit, especially apples.

In 2011, about 31,877 people lived near the Annapolis River. Another river, the Cornwallis River, also starts in the Caribou Bog.

A Look Back in Time

Champlain's map of 1609 showing the river's French name of Rivière du Dauphin.

The Annapolis River was very important for travel long ago. This was especially true in early Acadia. In 1605, Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Monts built a settlement called the Habitation at Port-Royal. It was on the north bank of the river's mouth.

Champlain's map from 1609 shows the river was first called Rivière du Dauphin by the French.

In 1710, the British took control of this part of Acadia from the French. A French settlement upriver was renamed Annapolis Royal. This was done to honor Queen Anne, the British queen. The river also got the name Annapolis at this time.

After 1713, Nova Scotia became a British colony. Annapolis Royal was its capital until 1749. Fort Anne was built near the river's mouth. It helped protect the community from attacks.

For many years, the river was a busy pathway for boats. Sailing ships would travel as far upriver as Bridgetown. Bridgetown was a center for building ships. A ferry used to cross the river at Annapolis Royal. Later, a bridge was built in the early 1900s.

The Annapolis Royal Generating Station, a tidal power plant.

In 1984, Nova Scotia Power opened the Annapolis Royal Generating Station. This is a special power plant that uses the ocean's tides to make electricity. A large dam now blocks the river between Annapolis Royal and Granville Ferry. This dam also carries Trunk 1, a main road. The river section between Annapolis Royal and Bridgetown is now used as a reservoir, which holds water.

In the late 1980s, there was a plan to make the Annapolis River a "Canada federal Heritage River." But this idea was not approved. This was because of pollution from homes and farms. After this, many projects started to clean up the river. One important group created was the Clean Annapolis River Project (CARP). They work to keep the river healthy.

Towns Along the River

Many communities are located along the Annapolis River. Here they are, listed from northeast to southwest: