Musquash River (Ontario) facts for kids

The Musquash River is a river located in the Muskoka District of west-central Ontario, Canada. It's quite unique because it actually splits off from the Moon River. From there, it flows west until it reaches the large Georgian Bay. The name "Musquash" comes from the Abenaki people, and it means "muskrat".

How the Musquash River Flows

Before 1968, many people thought the Musquash River was just a part of the Muskoka River. The Musquash River starts below a spot called Moon Chute on the Moon River. Here, some of the Moon River's water flows south. This water then passes through a place called the Ragged Rapids Generating Station. A generating station is like a power plant that uses the force of moving water to make electricity.

The river then enters Wahta Mohawk Territory. It flows past another power plant, the Big Eddy Generating Station, and its dam. The river also goes under Highway 400. It then flows through a small body of water called Gray Lake. After that, it enters Go Home Lake.

Some of the water from Go Home Lake leaves through the Go Home River, which flows west. The rest of the water exits over the Go Home Lake Dam and continues as the Musquash River. A smaller river, the Gibson River, joins the Musquash River from the left side. The Musquash River then turns west. It passes through a place called Three Rock Chute. Finally, it flows into the Musquash Channel on Georgian Bay, which is part of Lake Huron.

History Along the River

Towards the end of the 1800s, there was a town located right at the mouth of the Musquash River. This town was called Muskoka Mills. It was a lumber town, meaning its main business was cutting down trees and processing wood.