Trafalgar Moraine facts for kids
The Trafalgar Moraine is a special landform in Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the towns of Oakville and Milton. A small part also reaches into Burlington. It's like a gentle hill, not as big as the famous Oak Ridges Moraine.
The Trafalgar Moraine formed at the very edge of a huge ice sheet, like a giant bulldozer pushing dirt. This ice sheet pushed together soil and rocks to create the ridge. The soil here is called Halton Till, which has a lot of silt and clay. This is different from the Oak Ridges Moraine, which is mostly sand and gravel. Scientists think this ridge formed when the ice sheet paused its retreat. The moraine covers about 892.5 hectares, mostly on private land, but some parts are public.
What is the Trafalgar Moraine Made Of?
The Trafalgar Moraine is mostly made of silty, clay-rich soil. Underneath this soil is shale bedrock. Both of these materials make it hard for water to soak into the ground. However, some areas of the moraine can hold surface water. This allows a little bit of water to get into the ground, even with the tough soil.
The Trafalgar Moraine is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) long. It is about 30 meters (98 feet) high and 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) wide. It stretches from the Niagara Escarpment near Nelson all the way to Streetsville. Its direction changes from east-northeast to northeast when it reaches the Oakville border.
This moraine has changed how the eastern branch of the 16 Mile Creek flows.
Waterways and Wildlife in the Moraine
The Trafalgar Moraine is very important for water. It is the starting point for six different creeks in Oakville. These creeks include:
- 16 Mile Creek
- 14 Mile Creek
- McCraney Creek
- Joshua Creek
The moraine is also home to many different kinds of plants and animals. It has 496 types of plants. There are 10 kinds of fish living in its waters. The moraine is also home to 220 animal species. This includes 168 types of birds, 34 kinds of mammals, and 18 types of amphibians.
