Sydney River

The Sydney River is a short river located in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia, Canada.[1] Historically, it was also referred to as the Spanish River[3] from the 18th century French name for its estuary, Baie d’Espagnols.[4] It separates the communities of Coxheath and Westmount, on the north bank of the river, from Howie Centre, Sydney River, and Sydney on the south and east banks.

This article is about the river. For the community, see Sydney River, Nova Scotia.
Sydney River
Spanish River
Sydney River, with Coxheath in the foreground and Howie Centre on the opposite bank
EtymologyFrom the city of Sydney on its estuary.
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceNova Scotia
CountyCape Breton
DistrictCape Breton Regional Municipality
CitySydney
Physical characteristics
SourceBlacketts Lake
MouthSouth Arm of Sydney Harbour
 • location
between the Westmount shore near Amelia Point and Battery Point on the Sydney shore[1]
 • coordinates
46°8′49.4″N 60°13′36.3″W
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length12.5 km (7.8 mi)
Basin size140 km2 (54 sq mi)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftCrawleys Creek, Barachois Creek
 • rightMeadows Brook,[2] Tobins Brook, Howies Brook, Gillis Brook, Prime Brook, Wentworth Creek, Muggah Creek
Bridges125 Highway, Route 305
Inland portsPort of Sydney

Sydney River rises in Blacketts Lake and runs 12.5 km (7.8 mi) to its mouth, between the Westmount shore near Amelia Point and Battery Point on the Sydney shore,[1] at the South Arm of Sydney Harbour, draining a watershed of 140 km2 [5]:6 south of the crest of the Coxheath Hills. The river is an estuary for the last 7 km (4.3 mi) below the "Sysco Dam" in the community of Sydney River. The dam was constructed in 1902, converting the stretch of river immediately above the dam from a tidal estuary to a freshwater reservoir lake.[5]:6 Its watershed contains more than 2000 homes.[2]

The Sydney River valley is glacial with thick deposits, kames, eskers and outwash gravels creating a series of shallow lakes connected by narrow channels. This low valley was a traditional canoe portage used by the Mi'kmaq for travelling between Sydney Harbour and the East Bay of Bras d'Or Lake.[6] The river is one of only two Canadian watersheds with a known population of the yellow lampmussel.[2] The lampmussel is found above the dam constructed in 1902,[5]:6 which increased the area of freshwater habitat suitable for lampmussel in the watershed.[5]:8

See also

References
  1. "Sydney River". Geographical names in Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  2. ACAP Cape Breton. "Warning: Species at Risk! Yellow Lampmussel". Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  3. Andrews, Edmund (January 1899). Coxheath, or A Century of Civilization (Speech). Archived from the original on 2015-09-22. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  4. McKenzie, Charlene (August 3, 2008). "Baie-des-Espagnois". ancestry.com. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  5. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (2010), "Management Plan for the Yellow Lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) in Canada [Final]", Species at Risk Act Management Plan Series (PDF), Ottawa: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  6. "Sydney River (sub-Unit 585b) - The Natural History of Nova Scotia - theme regions". Archived from the original on 2009-11-17. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
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