The Humber River Watershed Features
Within the watershed, the Humber River travels through a variety of landscapes including the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridges Moraine, the rich farm lands of the South Slope and Peel Plain, and the ancient shoreline of now-vanished Lake Iroquois.
The main branch of the river flows more than 126 kilometres from its source on the Niagara Escarpment to Lake Ontario. The East Humber (63 kilometres) originates in the kettle lakes region of Richmond Hill and King Township. The West Humber begins in Caledon, in the rolling hills of the South Slope, and flows 45 kilometres over the Peel Plain in Brampton before joining the Main Humber in Toronto. The watershed includes over 750 streams, comprising a total of 1,800 kilometres of waterways, and 600 lakes, ponds and reservoirs.
Today about 26 per cent of the watershed is developed, up from 15 per cent in 2000. Rural lands account for 40 per cent of the area and natural cover makes up the remaining 32 per cent.
The Humber River Watershed includes areas from ten different municipalities.
A Canadian Heritage River
With its rich history, the Humber River was designated as a Canadian Heritage River on September 25, 1999, the only waterway to receive this designation in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and one of 40 heritage rivers in the country as a whole.
Archaeological research reveals a long history of human settlement along the banks of The Humber River. First Nations, followed by the French and then the English, have made their homes here. The Carrying Place Trail, used by aboriginals and Europeans to travel inland and transport goods is one of the oldest established transportation routes in Canada.
Notable explorers and missionaries associated with the Humber River include Fathers Jean de Brebeuf and Joseph Chaumonot (1641), Father Louis Hennepin (1678), Rene-Robert Cavelier de La Salle (1680). Famous residents have included the Eaton family, founders of the department store empire, and Canadian writer and historian Pierre Berton.
The Humber is the only Canadian Heritage River in Ontario accessible by subway! Many of the conservation areas operated by Toronto and Region Conservation provide access to the river for canoeing and water sports, as well as hiking and nature appreciation.
More about the Natural Wonders of the Humber River
Places of Interest in the Humber River Watershed
Recreation in the Humber River Watershed
Educational Centres
More about the Natural Wonders of the Humber River:Natural Features
Natural vegetation cover
Approximately one third of the Humber River watershed offers natural vegetation cover, including forest lands. Toronto and Region Conservation works to protect and enhance the health of these areas
Greenspace
Greenspace areas account for nearly 10 per cent of the watershed. This includes all publicly owned and accessible lands. Since 2000 greenspace the Humber River Watershed has been increased by 450 hectares.
Oak Ridges Moraine
The Oak Ridges Moraine is one of Ontario's most outstanding landscape features. It comprises over a quarter of the area of the watershed and forms the headwaters of the Humber River.
Kettle lakes
The Kettle lakes on the Oak Ridges Moraine were created by the retreating glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age, 12,000 years ago.
The Niagara Escarpment
The main branch of the Humber flows from the Niagara Escarpment, which has been designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
The Humber Marshes (at the mouth of the Humber)
Located at the mouth of the Humber in Toronto, this provincially significant wetland remains an important nesting area for birds, such as the Great Blue Heron, and contains rare plant species.
Places of Interest in the Humber River Watershed:McMichael Art Gallery
The McMichael Canadian art collection houses works of the Group of Seven, Canada's foremost landscape painters.
Toronto Carrying Place Trail
The 40-kilometre Carrying Place Trail, used by aboriginals and Europeans to travel inland and transport goods, is one of the oldest established transportation routes in Canada.
Seed-Barker Archaeological Site (Iroquoian village)
The Seed-Barker site is an 17th-century Iroquoian village located in the City of Vaughan on the east bank of the East Humber River.
Black Creek Pioneer Village
Black Creek Pioneer Village is an example of a typical crossroads community as could be found in the Toronto area during the 1800s. It consists of 40 carefully restored heritage homes, shops and gardens.
High Park
In 1905, James Henry Fleming banded a robin at High Park, the first wild bird to be thus marked and recorded. This is commemorated with a Historic Site plaque.
Recreation in the Humber River Watershed:Many of the conservation areas operated by Toronto and Region Conservation provide access to the river for canoeing and water sports, as well as hiking and nature appreciation.
Albion Hills Conservation Area
Established in 1954, Albion Hills was the first conservation area in Ontario. Since then, six million visitors have enjoyed the recreational and educational opportunities there.
Trails
With 377 kilometres of local and 213 kilometres of inter-regional trails, the Humber is a popular destination for hikers, equestrians and nature-lovers. Inter-regional trails found in the watershed include:
• Humber Valley Heritage Trail
• Bruce Trail
• Great Pine Ridge Equestrian Trail
• Caledon Trailway/Trans Canada Trail
• Oak Ridges Moraine Trail
• Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail
Fishing
Fourteen of the top 50 angling locations in the GTA are found on the Main and East branches of the Humber River.
Educational Centres:Kortright Centre for Conservation
Names after Dr. Francis H. Kortright, one of Canada's leading authorities on birds and waterfowl.Kortright Centre for Conservation is the country's largest environmental conservation facility.
Lake St. George
Lake St. George is a wetland on the Oak Ridges Moraine. It contains a kettle lake surrounded by woodlands and meadows with large fish and wildlife populations. The Lake St. George Field Centre provides outdoor education programs.
Humber Arboretum
The Humber Arboretum is a state-of-the-art facility for urban ecology, located in north-west Toronto. This centre provides environmental and outdoor education programs.
