Hillsborough River, Canada
Published: July 27, 2007, 1:09 pm
Updated: July 27, 2007, 1:09 pm
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Langdon D. Clough General Description
The Hillsborough River arises from groundwater springs in the center of Prince Edward Island and flows southwest for 45 kilometers (km) to its mouth at the Northumberland Strait in the Atlantic Ocean. The river system is the largest on the island – its 350 sq. km drainage area is equal to one-fifteenth of the total island land mass. The landscape around the Hillsborough is flat or gently rolling, with the highest point in the watershed at only 75 meters (m).
In many ways the Hillsborough River, deemed PEI's passageway to the sea, is symbolic of the island itself. Its character derives from the island's rich agricultural heritage and the inescapable presence of the sea. Over half of the river's length is ocean estuary where freshwater and saltwater mix to create a rich marshland habitat for a variety of fish and waterfowl species. For three-quarters of its length, the level of the Hillsborough rises and falls under the influence of the ocean tides. The river does not empty directly into the sea but rather gives way gradually to the saltwater of Charlottetown Harbor.
History
The natural harbor at the mouth of the river was very important in the island's logging history. It served as a logging basin when the early British settlers cleared the island's densely wooded forests to feed its thriving timber and shipbuilding industry. The Hillsborough was vital to this industry since it is the only waterway in PEI big enough for large ships. The sudden technological change from sail to steam in the latter half of the 19th century killed the shipbuilding industry. By the start of the 20th century the great island forests were gone and much of the land had been converted to agriculture. The only remaining vestige of the island's original forests is along the Hillsborough at Royalty Oaks on the outskirts of Charlottetown.
The river was named after the British Earl of Hillsborough. Its original Native Mi'kmaq name was Elsetkook, meaning "running close by high rocks." The rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty of the Hillsborough make it an important part of Prince Edward Island's booming tourism industry. In recognition of its importance it has been nominated as a Canadian Heritage River.
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Citation
Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Paul D. N. Hebert (Lead Author);Paul D. N. Hebert (Contributing Author);Langdon D. Clough (Topic Editor) "Hillsborough River, Canada". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth July 27, 2007; Last revised Date July 27, 2007; Retrieved May 23, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Hillsborough_River,_Canada>
The Authors
The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) is an interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to improving the understanding of biodiversity at all scales, from the genetic to the macroecological. Based at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, BIO is host to more than 30 university faculty and their research groups representing a wide range of biological expertise. BIO also includes specialized support staff and unique research and outreach capabilities designed to foster both academi ... (Full Bio)
After receiving his Ph.D. in genetics at Cambridge University in 1972, Paul Hebert took up a Rutherford Fellowship at the University of Sydney. He returned to Canada in 1976, accepting a position at the University of Windsor where he was a professor in Biological Sciences and Director of the Great Lakes Institute. He moved to the University of Guelph in 1990 as Chair of the Department of Zoology. He has been a visiting professor at the Australian National University, the Czech Academy of Scienc ... (Full Bio)
General Description
The Hillsborough River arises from groundwater springs in the center of Prince Edward Island and flows southwest for 45 kilometers (km) to its mouth at the Northumberland Strait in the Atlantic Ocean. The river system is the largest on the island – its 350 sq. km drainage area is equal to one-fifteenth of the total island land mass. The landscape around the Hillsborough is flat or gently rolling, with the highest point in the watershed at only 75 meters (m).
In many ways the Hillsborough River, deemed PEI's passageway to the sea, is symbolic of the island itself. Its character derives from the island's rich agricultural heritage and the inescapable presence of the sea. Over half of the river's length is ocean estuary where freshwater and saltwater mix to create a rich marshland habitat for a variety of fish and waterfowl species. For three-quarters of its length, the level of the Hillsborough rises and falls under the influence of the ocean tides. The river does not empty directly into the sea but rather gives way gradually to the saltwater of Charlottetown Harbor.
History
The natural harbor at the mouth of the river was very important in the island's logging history. It served as a logging basin when the early British settlers cleared the island's densely wooded forests to feed its thriving timber and shipbuilding industry. The Hillsborough was vital to this industry since it is the only waterway in PEI big enough for large ships. The sudden technological change from sail to steam in the latter half of the 19th century killed the shipbuilding industry. By the start of the 20th century the great island forests were gone and much of the land had been converted to agriculture. The only remaining vestige of the island's original forests is along the Hillsborough at Royalty Oaks on the outskirts of Charlottetown.
The river was named after the British Earl of Hillsborough. Its original Native Mi'kmaq name was Elsetkook, meaning "running close by high rocks." The rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty of the Hillsborough make it an important part of Prince Edward Island's booming tourism industry. In recognition of its importance it has been nominated as a Canadian Heritage River.
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(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
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