Ottawa River (Lake Erie)

This article is about the river that empties directly into Lake Erie. For the tributary of the Auglaize River, see Ottawa River (Auglaize River).

Ottawa
The river passing through Ottawa Hills, Ohio
Origin	Southeast Michigan
Mouth	Lake Erie
Basin countries	United States
Length	15 mi (24 km)

The Ottawa River, also known as Ottawa Creek, is a short river, approximately 20 miles (32 km) long^[1] (or about 48 miles (77 km)^[1] if Tenmile Creek, the longest tributary, is included), in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan in the United States.^[2] It drains an area on the Ohio-Michigan border along the eastern and northern fringes of the city of Toledo, goes through Ottawa Hills, and empties directly into Lake Erie. It is one of two rivers in northwestern Ohio that share the same name, along with the Ottawa River that is a tributary of the Auglaize River. The upper 4 miles (6 km) of the river in Michigan north of Sylvania, Ohio is called North Tenmile Creek on federal maps,^[3] while another branch rising in Fulton County, Ohio, is called Tenmile Creek.^[4]

North Tenmile Creek rises in extreme southeastern Michigan, southwest of Ottawa Lake, approximately 3 miles (5 km) north of the Ohio-Michigan state line. The creek flows south across the state line to Sylvania, where it is joined by Tenmile Creek to form the Ottawa River, approximately 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Toledo. The river then flows southeast into western Toledo, where it turns northeast. For its lower 5 miles (8 km) it flows along the north side of Toledo roughly parallel to the Maumee River, separated from it by approximately 2 miles (3 km). It crosses the Michigan state line for its final 1 mile (1.6 km), entering Little Maumee Bay on Lake Erie.

Pollutants

The Ottawa River Risk Assessment, a report published in 2000, tested the water of the lower section of the Ottawa River, and found many chemicals in the water with an hazard quotient greater than 1 (from highest to lowest concentration): lead, aluminum, PCBs, manganese, iron, DDT, thallium, selenium, chromium, nickel, cadmium, cyanide, and zinc.^[5]

The reasons for the poor water quality are primarily its form and structure, since it has a slow flow, and, secondly, runoff and discharge from landfills and sewers. The City of Toledo has made it a priority to clean up the river, and action has been taken to clear landfills and tributaries.^[6]

Dam removal

In 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the removal of a long-standing dam in the Ottawa Hills stretch of the river to return the waterway to its natural flow and promote fish migration. It was also mentioned that the dam was a liability for the village.^[7] The dam was removed in 2007.^[8]

See also

• List of Michigan rivers
• List of Ohio rivers

References

1. ^ ^{a b} U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 19, 2011
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ottawa River
3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: North Tenmile Creek
4. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tenmile Creek
5. ^ Parametrix Report
6. ^ http://www.ci.toledo.oh.us/index.cfm?Article=1005
7. ^ toledoblade.com - Ottawa Hills: Public hearing discusses future of dam
8. ^ Microsoft Word - 1002.doc

External links

• University of Toledo Presidents Commission on the River, a commission of University of Toledo faculty, staff, and students working to clean up the Ottawa River
• The Maumee RAP and Partners for Clean Streams