| Ottawa River | |
|---|---|
 The Ottawa River inWildwood Preserve Metropark | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Southeast Michigan |
| Mouth | |
• location | Lake Erie |
| Length | 15 mi (24 km) |
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TheOttawa River, also known asOttawa 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 northwestOhio and southeastMichigan in theUnited States.[2] It drains an area on the Ohio-Michigan border along the eastern and northern fringes of the city ofToledo, goes throughOttawa Hills, and empties directly intoLake Erie. It is one of two rivers in northwestern Ohio that share the same name, along with theOttawa River that is a tributary of theAuglaize River. The upper 4 miles (6 km) of the river in Michigan north ofSylvania, Ohio is calledNorth Tenmile Creek on federal maps,[3] while another branch rising inFulton County, Ohio, is calledTenmile Creek.[4]
North Tenmile Creek rises in extremesoutheastern Michigan, southwest ofOttawa 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 theMaumee River, separated from it by approximately 2 miles (3 km). It crosses the Michigan state line for its final 1 mile (1.6 km), enteringLittle Maumee Bay on Lake Erie.
The water quality assessment of the lower section of the Ottawa River found many chemicals in the water with ahazard quotient greater than 1 (from highest to lowest concentration):lead,aluminum,PCBs,manganese,iron,DDT,thallium,selenium,chromium,nickel,cadmium,cyanide, andzinc.[5]
The poor water quality results primarily from the river's form and structure, since it has a slow flow, and, secondly, fromurban runoff and discharge fromlandfills and sewers. TheCity of Toledo has made it a priority to clean up the river. It has taken action to clear landfills and tributaries.[6]
In 2001, theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed the removal of a long-standing dam in theOttawa 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] One dam was removed in 2007[8] and another in 2020.[9]
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41°44′30″N83°27′40″W / 41.7417°N 83.4610°W /41.7417; -83.4610
