A Virtual Tour of The Ottawa River

Fitzroy Harbour Dam.

As with many rivers, the Ottawa provides many opportunities for the generation of hydroelectric power. The dam at Fitzroy Harbour is another such example. An examination of this image reveals the straight shorelines upstream of the dam that delimit the extents of the forebay. Near the bottom centre of the image a brighter band cutting through the forest cover depicts the powerline transmission corridor. This band appears brighter since the trees beneath the power lines have been cut and maintained to ensure no entanglements with the overhead lines and reveal the presence of grasses and some exposed outcrops (reddish areas) that are now visible.

Spending a little time at Fitzroy Harbour Provincial Park one can appreciate the stands of century old white pines or take a walk around the shoreline looking for a nice place to fish. As we work our way down to the river we cross several terraces, remnants of prior shorelines since the last glacial retreat. An excellent expression of a recent Ottawa River shoreline can be noted along the southern edge of the Gatineau Park just a little further downstream.

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