Main River, Canada
Published: June 4, 2007, 8:34 pm
Updated: June 4, 2007, 8:34 pm
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Langdon D. Clough General Description
The Main River is one of the last true wilderness rivers left on the "Rock" – the island of Newfoundland. It is a short, fast-moving river found in the relatively inaccessible Great Northern Peninsula. The Main stretches 57 kilometers (km) from its headwaters in the Long Range Mountains to its mouth at White Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. It drains an area of over 1000 sq. km and has an average discharge of more than one cubic km per year.
River Course
The Main River flows southeast from tundra-like barrens, through expanses of softwood forests and unique grassland areas as well as a spectacular 8 km canyon. It starts at an elevation of 370 m and travels a relatively steep gradient (averaging 6.5m/km) as it descends from the mountains. The river is joined by many tributaries in the upper reaches and gradually increases in volume and steepness as it moves downstream. Its character continuously changes as narrow, swift channels alternate with long steady reaches. The abrupt and significant variations in gradient, channel width and direction result in numerous turbulent rapids. Five distinct sections have been distinguished along the Main: Four Ponds Lake, Upper River, Big Steady, Rapid River and Deep Valley. The community of Sops Arm is located near the river mouth.
Heritage
In 1991, the Main became the first river nominated by Newfoundland and Labrador for designation as a Canadian Heritage River. Its outstanding natural values and recreation potential have earned it this distinction. Its relative inaccessibility has protected it from encroachment of industrial and urban development, and most of the watershed is now owned and protected by the Government. The watershed contains a diversity of wilderness comparable to much larger rivers in other regions of Canada. It provides critical habitat for a variety of wildlife, including moose, caribou and black bear, many species of birds, and one of the healthiest populations of Atlantic salmon in the province.
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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) "Main 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 June 4, 2007; Last revised Date June 4, 2007; Retrieved May 21, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Main_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 Main River is one of the last true wilderness rivers left on the "Rock" – the island of Newfoundland. It is a short, fast-moving river found in the relatively inaccessible Great Northern Peninsula. The Main stretches 57 kilometers (km) from its headwaters in the Long Range Mountains to its mouth at White Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. It drains an area of over 1000 sq. km and has an average discharge of more than one cubic km per year.
River Course
The Main River flows southeast from tundra-like barrens, through expanses of softwood forests and unique grassland areas as well as a spectacular 8 km canyon. It starts at an elevation of 370 m and travels a relatively steep gradient (averaging 6.5m/km) as it descends from the mountains. The river is joined by many tributaries in the upper reaches and gradually increases in volume and steepness as it moves downstream. Its character continuously changes as narrow, swift channels alternate with long steady reaches. The abrupt and significant variations in gradient, channel width and direction result in numerous turbulent rapids. Five distinct sections have been distinguished along the Main: Four Ponds Lake, Upper River, Big Steady, Rapid River and Deep Valley. The community of Sops Arm is located near the river mouth.
Heritage
In 1991, the Main became the first river nominated by Newfoundland and Labrador for designation as a Canadian Heritage River. Its outstanding natural values and recreation potential have earned it this distinction. Its relative inaccessibility has protected it from encroachment of industrial and urban development, and most of the watershed is now owned and protected by the Government. The watershed contains a diversity of wilderness comparable to much larger rivers in other regions of Canada. It provides critical habitat for a variety of wildlife, including moose, caribou and black bear, many species of birds, and one of the healthiest populations of Atlantic salmon in the province.
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Map of the Main River. (Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
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