About this waterfall.

About Chaudiere Falls

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The Chaudiere Falls used to span the Ottawa River but have largely been converted for hydroelectric generation. For years, what reamains of the falls has been off limits to the public. For Canada's 150th birthday, this all changed! The site has been completely revitalized for visiting, including a sound and light show in the evenings.

The falls are found below a semi-circular shaped water level control dam (interestingly, the border between Ontario and Quebec follows the ring of the dam). Once water passes through the dam, it converges on to the falls, which now consist of a seemingly infintite number of limestone steps.

The river drops a total of 8 m here. Note that water levels in the Ottawa River do fluctuate through the year, and the falls will appear differently under varying flow regimes. While it's great that we can now visit the falls, temper your expectations, as a solid fence keeps us from getting too close.

At the time of writing, the site was still being developed. It appears that this falls is being developed into a major tourist destination. This is good. Not only is it an important place in Ottawa's history, it had a major role as a meeting place for Indigenous peoples.

The entire area is surrounded by industrial heritage buildings. I don't have information on where to park. I believe that there is no parking on the island. Can you provide any updates? The parking coordinates button will get you close, but you will need to figure out where to park once you arrive.

Some Key Facts
Region Eastern
County Ottawa-Carleton
Near Ottawa
Watercourse Ottawa River
Watershed / % Lakes 5 / 38%
Ownership City of Ottawa
Landscape Urban
Size Large
Type Wide Dam Spillway
Modification Hydroelectric Dam, Fencing, Industrial
Access Easy
Top / Bottom Easy to view / Easy to view
Trail conditions pavement, sidewalk
Hiking Time 5 min
Coordinates 45.4207,-75.7211
Parking
45.4204,75.71811
Site ID WOO.OTT.003
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Finding Chaudiere Falls

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Visiting Chaudiere Falls


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Waterfalls of Ontario Project

This project has been online since 1999, in print since 2003, and on social since 2011. (See archives: 2003, 2012, 2018). It was the first to inventory and map Ontario's waterfalls for recreational purposes. With your continued help, it grows. Learn more...
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This page last updated on April 20, 2024. Earlier versions can be examined on Archive.org, dating back to 2003.