Upper Rideau Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Upper Rideau Lake
Upper Rideau Lake Location in Ontario
Location	Ontario
Coordinates	44°40′55″N 76°20′10″W / 44.682°N 76.336°W / 44.682; -76.336
Primary inflows	Westport Sand Lake
Primary outflows	Big Rideau Lake
Catchment area	61 km2 (24 sq mi)
Basin countries	Canada
Max. depth	23 m (75 ft)
Surface elevation	124.65 m (409.0 ft)
Settlements	Village of Westport, Village of Newboro

Upper Rideau Lake is a beautiful lake in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Rideau Canal system. This lake is special because it's the highest point on the entire Rideau Canal. Water from this lake flows north towards the Ottawa River and eventually reaches the Saint Lawrence River.

How Water Moves in Upper Rideau Lake

Upper Rideau Lake sits at 124.65 meters (about 409 feet) above sea level. This makes it the highest lake on the Rideau Canal system. Even though it's the highest, it's not where the water starts for the whole area. Water flows into Upper Rideau Lake from Westport Sand Lake. From Upper Rideau Lake, water flows out through a place called the Narrows Lock. It then goes into Big Rideau Lake. All this water eventually makes its way to the Saint Lawrence River.

The Rocks and Land Around the Lake

The land around Upper Rideau Lake tells an old story about Earth. The northern part of the lake shows a lot of granite. This is because of an ancient crack in the Earth's crust called the Rideau Lake Fault.

The northern half of the lake is in an area called the Algonquin Highlands. Here, the main rocks are very old, from a time called the Precambrian era. These rocks are mostly gneiss (a type of layered rock) and marble. They are covered by a thin layer of mixed dirt and rocks left behind by glaciers.

The southern half of the lake is different. The rocks here are younger, from the Paleozoic era. They include sandstone, dolomite (another type of rock), and conglomerate (rock made of pebbles stuck together). This area has many types of dirt and soil, including sandy till (glacial dirt), silt, clay, and sand.

A Lake with a Story: How Upper Rideau Lake Was Made

Before the Rideau Canal was built between 1826 and 1832, Upper Rideau Lake, Big Rideau Lake, and Lower Rideau Lake were all connected as one big lake. The first plan for the canal was to dig out the shallow, rocky parts between them. This would keep them as one lake.

However, digging through the rocks was very hard and expensive. So, Lieutenant Colonel John By, who was in charge of building the canal, changed the plan. He decided to build a dam and a lock, which is now called Narrows Lock. This dam separated the lakes and created Upper Rideau Lake as we know it today.

Building the Narrows Lock raised the water level in this area by about 2.5 meters (8 feet). This caused some big changes to the land. Areas that used to be dry land became flooded. This created new marshy areas and left many dead trees standing in the water.

Managing Lake Water Levels

The water levels in the Rideau Canal system, including Upper Rideau Lake, are carefully watched. This is done by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Parks Canada. They manage the water levels for people who use the lake for fun, like boating. They make sure there's enough water for boats to pass and for people with docks and boathouses.

In late May, the water levels are at their highest. They slowly go down during the summer. By October, they reach their lowest point for the winter. During this whole cycle, the water height changes by about 1 meter (3 feet).

Towns and Villages Around the Lake

Two villages are located on Upper Rideau Lake. The Village of Westport is at the west end of the lake. The Village of Newboro is at the south end, where Upper Rideau Lake meets Newboro Lake. Both villages offer places to stay, restaurants, shops, and spots for boats to dock.

Most of the land along the shoreline is owned by people who live there, either all year or just for part of the year. Some land is owned by the government, like the Foley Mountain Conservation Area and the areas around the two lock stations.

Fun Things to Do at Upper Rideau Lake

Upper Rideau Lake is very popular for bass fishing. Besides fishing, you can also enjoy other water activities like boating, paddling, and swimming. On land, there are golf courses and trails for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. You can find places to stay right on the water, including marinas, campgrounds, and resorts. In 2015, many boats passed through the locks: 5,355 at Newboro and 6,208 at Narrows Lockstation.

Foley Mountain Conservation Area: Explore Nature

Near Westport, you'll find the Foley Mountain Conservation Area. This area has 9 kilometers (about 5.6 miles) of hiking trails. It also has a great lookout spot called Spy Rock, educational programs, a discovery center, picnic areas, and a natural swimming spot.

Rideau Trail: A Long Hiking Path

The Rideau Trail is the longest hiking path in eastern Ontario. It stretches all the way from Kingston to Ottawa. This beautiful trail follows the Rideau Canal closely. A part of it runs along the north shore of Upper Rideau Lake.

Rules and Guidelines for the Lake

There are rules to help keep Upper Rideau Lake safe and healthy for everyone.

Fishing Rules

Upper Rideau Lake is in Fisheries Management Zone 18. If you want to fish, you need to know about fishing licenses, when you can fish, and how many fish you can catch. You can find all this information in the latest Ontario Fishing Regulations.

Canal Rules

The lock stations on the Rideau Canal usually operate from mid-May until mid-October each year. There are fees for using the locks and for mooring your boat. These fees are based on how long your boat is. For more details about operating hours, fees, and other rules, you can visit the Parks Canada website.

Animals of Upper Rideau Lake

Upper Rideau Lake is home to many different kinds of animals.

Fish in the Lake

The Rideau Lakes area is famous for its bass fishing. When the canal was built, the flooded areas created perfect homes for bass, helping their numbers grow.

Besides lots of largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, you can find other fish species in Upper Rideau Lake. These include sunfish, bluegill, rock bass, black crappie, yellow perch, northern pike, walleye, and lake trout.

Experts say that the water is good for warm-water fish. The water's pH levels (how acidic or basic it is) are healthy for these fish. The number of fish allowed to be caught has stayed steady, except for yellow perch, which increased in 2013. However, sometimes in summer, the water gets warmer and has less oxygen. This can be stressful for some fish.

Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Mammals

Many different animals live around Upper Rideau Lake.

Some birds you might see include the common loon, great blue heron, green heron, osprey, turkey vulture, pileated woodpecker, Canada goose, mallard duck, common merganser, hooded merganser, ring-billed gull, and trumpeter swan.

Common reptiles and amphibians are the map turtle, painted turtle, snapping turtle, northern leopard frog, American bullfrog, garter snake, northern water snake, and black rat snake.

Mammals you might spot include squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, foxes, porcupines, skunks, beavers, otters, muskrats, minks, raccoons, and white-tailed deer.

Animals That Need Our Help: Endangered Species

Upper Rideau Lake is home to several animals that are considered "species at risk." This means their populations are very low, and they need special protection. If you see any of these animals along the Rideau Canal, it's important to write down the date, time, location, and what kind of animal it was. You can then drop this information off at any lock station.

Animals that are in danger of disappearing (endangered) include the loggerhead shrike and spotted turtle.

Animals that are likely to become endangered (threatened) include the golden-winged warbler, least bittern, peregrine falcon, chimney swift, red-headed woodpecker, grey fox, Blanding's turtle, musk turtle, and black rat snake.

Animals that need special attention (special concern) include the cerulean warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, short-eared owl, yellow rail, red-shouldered hawk, southern flying squirrel, five-lined skink, map turtle, snapping turtle, milksnake, and ribbon snake.

Keeping the Lake Water Clean

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority checked the water quality of Upper Rideau Lake from 2005 to 2014. In their 2014 report, they said the water quality was "poor." This was due to several reasons:

• High levels of nutrients (like fertilizers) in the water.
• Times when there wasn't enough oxygen in the water.
• Very clear water.
• Sometimes, the pH levels (how acidic or basic the water is) were too high.

High nutrient levels are a natural part of a lake getting older. However, this process can speed up if too many nutrients run off from homes along the shore or from flooded areas created by the canal. This is a problem because too many nutrients can cause too many aquatic plants and algae blooms to grow.

Westport Sewage Discharge: A Past Problem

In April 2014, the Village of Westport had a big problem with its sewage treatment system. It had been breaking down for 2-3 years. To prevent a sewage pond from overflowing, millions of liters of untreated sewage were sent directly into Upper Rideau Lake. This caused a lot of blue-green algae to grow.

Before 1996, Westport didn't have a sewage treatment plan at all. They would dump untreated sewage into the lake twice a year. In 2018, Westport finished building a new system to treat sewage. As of March 2019, there have been no sewage discharges into the lake for a year.

Blue-Green Algae: A Recurring Issue

In August 2014, harmful toxins were found in blue-green algae blooms in the lake. The local health unit warned people not to drink the lake water or let their pets or farm animals drink it. This outbreak was caused by the sewage dump, soil erosion, heavy spring runoff, and a type of mussel called zebra mussels, among other things. Blue-green algae blooms are a repeated problem for people who live on or visit Upper Rideau Lake, even though they are not always toxic.

Looking After the Lake for the Future

There are plans and groups working to keep the Rideau Canal, including Upper Rideau Lake, healthy and protected for a long time.

Important plans include:

• Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan (2005)
• Rideau Canal World Heritage Site Management Plan (2005)

Organizations that help keep the lake healthy are:

• Upper Rideau Lake Association (started in 1989): This group focuses on water quality and making the lake environment better.
• Friends of the Rideau (started in 2009): This group works to help people enjoy the Rideau Canal and protect its natural beauty and history.

Solar Farm: Green Energy Near the Lake

North of Upper Rideau Lake, on Highway 14, is the North Burgess Solar Project. This is a green energy facility that uses the sun to make electricity. It has 40,000 to 50,000 solar panels and can power about 2,000 homes in Ontario.