View source for Humber River (Ontario)

{{Short description|River in Canada}}
{{About|the river in Toronto and region, Ontario, Canada||Humber River (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Humber River
| name_native = {{native name|oj|Gabekanaang-ziibi}}
| name_native_lang = 
| name_other = 
| name_etymology = <!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image = Humber River from the Dundas Street Bridge.jpg
| image_caption = The Humber River in Toronto
| map = 
| map_size = 
| map_caption = 
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[Canada]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ontario]]
| subdivision_type3 = Region
| subdivision_name3 = [[Southern Ontario]]
| subdivision_type4 = [[List of census divisions of Ontario|Census divisions]]
| subdivision_name4 = {{hlist|[[Dufferin County]]|[[Regional Municipality of Peel]]|[[Simcoe County]]|[[Regional Municipality of York]]}}
| subdivision_type5 = Municipalities
| subdivision_name5 = {{hlist|[[Toronto]]|[[Adjala–Tosorontio]]|[[Brampton]]|[[Caledon, Ontario|Caledon]]|[[King, Ontario|King]]|[[Mono, Ontario|Mono]]|[[Vaughan]]}}
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->| length = {{convert|100|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min = 
| width_avg = 
| width_max = 
| depth_min = 
| depth_avg = 
| depth_max = 
| discharge1_location = 
| discharge1_min = 
| discharge1_avg = 
| discharge1_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1 = Humber Springs Ponds
| source1_location = [[Mono, Ontario|Mono]], [[Dufferin County]]
| source1_coordinates = {{coord|43|56|36|N|80|00|14|W|display=inline}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|421|m|abbr=on}}
| mouth = [[Humber Bay]], [[Lake Ontario]]
| mouth_location = [[Toronto]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|43|37|56|N|79|28|19|W|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation = {{convert|74|m|abbr=on}}
| progression = 
| river_system = [[Great Lakes Basin]]
| basin_size = {{convert|903|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left = 
| tributaries_right = 
| custom_label = 
| custom_data = 
| extra = 
| mapframe = yes
}}
The '''Humber River''' ({{langx|oj|Gabekanaang-ziibi}}, {{lit|river at the end of the trail}})<ref>Humber College, [https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/main-entry/gabekana-adv-loc]</ref> is a [[river]] in [[Southern Ontario]], Canada.<ref name="CGNDB">{{cite cgndb|id= FBPLL|title= Humber River|access-date=2012-03-15}}</ref> It is in the [[Great Lakes Basin]], is a tributary of [[Lake Ontario]] and is one of two major rivers on either side of the city of [[Toronto]], the other being the [[Don River (Ontario)|Don River]] to the east. It was designated a [[Canadian Heritage Rivers System|Canadian Heritage River]] on September 24, 1999.<ref name="CHRS"/>

The Humber collects from about 750 creeks and tributaries in a fan-shaped area north of Toronto that encompasses portions of [[Dufferin County]], the [[Regional Municipality of Peel]], [[Simcoe County]], and the [[Regional Municipality of York]]. The main branch runs for about {{convert|100|km|mi|-1}}<ref name="CHRS" /> from the [[Niagara Escarpment]] in the northwest, while another major branch, known as the East Humber River, starts at Lake St. George in the [[Oak Ridges Moraine]] near [[Aurora, Ontario|Aurora]] to the northeast. They join north of Toronto and then flow in a generally southeasterly direction into Lake Ontario at what was once the far western portions of the city.<ref name="AOCHighlight">{{cite web |title= Humber River|publisher= [[Natural Resources Canada]]|date= 2010-02-04|work= [[Atlas of Canada]]|url= http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/map?mapsize=750%20666&mapxy=1247429.29054%20-432944.66012&scale=500000&feature_na=Humber%20River&searchstring=Humber%20River&layers=fapfeature%20fapfeature%20north_arrow%20other_features%20million_grid%20t50k_grid%20grid_50k_3%20roads%20hydrography%20boundary%20builtup%20vegetation%20populated_places%20railway%20power_network%20manmade_features%20designated_areas%20water_features%20water_saturated_soils%20relief%20contours%20toponymy%20contour%20nodata_ntdb_50k&map_layer%5bnortharrow%5d_class%5b0%5d_style%5b0%5d=ANGLE%20-13.901019394812621&urlappend=%26unique_key%3D4094e667bbe311d892e2080020a0f4c9%26map.layer%5Btextzoom03%5D%3DFEATURE+POINTS+1270851.51599+-447666.199027+END+TEXT+%22Humber+River%22+END%26map.layer%5Btextzoom46%5D%3DFEATURE+POINTS+1270851.51599+-447666.199027+END+TEXT+%22Humber+River%22+END%26map.layer%5Blineresultzoom0%5D%3DDATA+fap_rivers%26map.layer%5Blineresultzoom1%5D%3DDATA+fap_rivers%26map.layer%5Blineresultzoom2%5D%3DDATA+fap_rivers%26map.layer%5Barrowzoom03%5D%3DFEATURE+POINTS+1270851.51599+-447666.199027+END+END |access-date= 2012-03-15}} Shows the course of the river highlighted on a map.</ref> The river mouth is flanked by Sir Casimir Gzowski Park and [[Humber Bay Park]] East.

==Name==
There are two indigenous names attributed to the Humber. One is "Cobechenonk", for "leave the canoes and go back", attributed to the area's most recent native inhabitants, the [[Anishinaabe]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=193465 |title=Whose land?  |date=July 11, 2013 |publisher=Now |location=Toronto, ON |last=Roberts |first=Wayne}}</ref> A second is “Niwa’ah Onega’gaih’ih,” “Little Thundering Waters.”<ref>{{cite web|url= http://torontoplaques.com/Pages/Humber_River1.html|title= Humber River|access-date= 2020-05-28|archive-date= 2017-04-10|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170410160039/http://www.torontoplaques.com/Pages/Humber_River1.html|url-status= dead}}</ref> A French map from 1688 called the river "passage de taronto",<ref>{{cite book | last = Leduc | first = Timothy B. | title = Canadian Climate of Mind: Passages from Fur to Energy and Beyond | publisher = McGill-Queen's Press | year = 2016 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RNruCwAAQBAJ&pg=PP1 | pages = 53| isbn = 9780773598713 }}</ref> while Popple's map of 1733 shows the "Tanaovate River" beside the native settlement of Tejajagon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ontarioroots.com/content/04/04_02/article_008.html |title=Ontario Roots - Lost Village of Mimico |access-date=2015-10-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705115237/http://www.ontarioroots.com/content/04/04_02/article_008.html |archive-date=2008-07-05 }}</ref> Lieutenant-Governor [[John Graves Simcoe]] named it the Humber River, likely after the [[Humber]] estuary in England.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geography-boundary/geographical-name/geoname-origins/5697 |publisher=Natural Resources Canada |title=The real story of how Toronto got its name |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109063329/http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geography-boundary/geographical-name/geoname-origins/5697 |archive-date=2013-11-09 }}</ref>

==History==
The Humber has a long history of human settlement along its banks. Native settlement of the area is well documented [[archaeological]]ly and occurred in three waves. The first settlers were the Palaeo-Indians who lived in the area from 10,000 to 7000 BC. The second wave, people of the Archaic period, settled the area between 7000 and 1000 BC and began to adopt seasonal migration patterns to take advantage of available plants, fish, and game. The third wave of native settlement was the Woodland period, which saw the introduction of the [[archery|bow and arrow]] and the growing of crops which allowed for larger, more permanent villages. The Woodland period was also characterized by movement of native groups along what is known today as the [[Toronto Carrying-Place Trail]], running from Lake Ontario up the Humber to [[Lake Simcoe]] and eventually to the northern [[Great Lakes]].<ref name="CHRS"/>
[[File:The Short Portage - The Carrying Place, La Salle on the way over the Humber.jpg|thumb|By the 17th century the area was a crucial point for travel, with the Humber River making up the southern portion of the [[Toronto Passage]].]]
It is believed that [[Étienne Brûlé]] was the first European to encounter the Humber while travelling the Toronto Carrying-Place Trail. Brûlé passed through the watershed in 1615 on a mission from [[Samuel de Champlain]] to build alliances with native peoples, but left no written record. The Trail became a convenient shortcut to the upper Great Lakes for traders, explorers, and missionaries. A major landmark on the northern end of the trail in Lake Simcoe was used to describe the trail as a whole, and eventually the southern end became known simply as "Toronto" to the Europeans.<ref name="CHRS"/>

During the 1660s, this was the site of [[Teiaiagon]], a permanent settlement of the [[Seneca tribe|Seneca]] used for trading with the Europeans. Popple's map of 1733 shows a prominent river beside "Tejajagon" issues; it is assumed to be the Humber.

During the late-17th and 18th century, the portage along this river was frequently used by the French traders as a short cut to the upper Great Lakes and the area north of Toronto.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-map-tarontos-lake-simcoe-history-1.4861342|date=14 October 2015|title='Tarontos Lac': Geographer finds oldest known reference to Toronto on 340-year-old French map|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=15 October 2018|last=Seputis|first=Jasmine}}</ref>
In an attempt to secure the trade route from the British, the French established [[Magasin Royal]], a trading post along the Humber River, near [[Baby Point]]. Completed in 1720, the trading post was abandoned shortly after the British fort in [[Oswego, New York]] was completed, as it diverted trade away from Magasin Royal.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=11}}

In 1750, the French built another fort near the mouth of the Humber River, with the intention of diverting aboriginals using it as a passage from proceeding to the British in [[Fort Oswego]]. Known as Fort Toronto, the fort saw immediate success, with demand outstripping the supply of goods the Fort was able to provide.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=12}} The success of the fort persuaded the [[Governor General of New France]], the [[Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière|Marquis de la Jonquière]] to order the construction of a larger fort, with more trading capacity and military potential, in an effort to consolidate its hold of the region. [[Fort Rouillé]], located in present-day [[Exhibition Place]] (east of the Humber River), was completed in the spring of 1751.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=12}} The fort continued to operate until 1759, during the [[Seven Years' War]]. Instructed to evacuate and raze the fort should [[Fort Niagara]] be captured, the garrison would vacate the area for [[Montreal]] after they were [[Battle of Fort Niagara|defeated at Fort Niagara]] in July 1759.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=12}}

The area was later secured by British forces in September 1760, when the [[British Army]] dispatched its chief scout and intelligence officer, [[Robert Rogers (British Army officer)|Robert Rogers]], along with 200 men and fifteen whale boats to take control of the former French fort.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=13}} In 1772, Jean-Bonaventure Rousseau received a license to trade with the First Nations living within the vicinity of the mouth of the Humber River.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=14}} His license was later inherited by his son, [[Jean Baptiste Rousseau (fur trader)|Jean Baptiste Rousseau]], after his death in 1774. Rousseau maintained several contacts in the area, although did not permanently relocate there until 1792; when he established a trading post near the mouth of the Humber River.{{sfn|Levine|2015|p=14}}

Rousseau piloted [[John Graves Simcoe]]'s ship into Toronto Bay to officially commence the settlement of [[York, Upper Canada|York]] in 1793. Most of the British attention was focused to the east of the Humber, around the protected Toronto Bay closer to the Don River. Settlement was scattered until after the [[War of 1812]] when many loyalists moved to the area, who were joined by immigrants from [[Ireland]] and [[Scotland]] who chose to remain in British lands.<ref name="CHRS"/>
[[File:Flooding of Humber River, June 2, 1947.jpg|thumb|The Humber River saw water levels rise significantly after [[Hurricane Hazel]]. The resulting flood devastated nearby residences on [[Raymore Drive]].]]
Upon his arrival in York, Simcoe was keenly aware of the need for a lumber mill and grist mill in the area.  He had constructed a sawmill on the west bank of the river near present-day [[Bloor Street]] in 1793, which was operated by John Wilson.  In 1797 Simcoe managed to get a grist mill established on the Humber River.  It was owned and operated by John Lawrence. Over the years, numerous mills have been operated along the river by such men as [[William Cooper (businessman)|William Cooper]], W. P. Howland, [[Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library|Thomas Fisher]], [[John Scarlett (Toronto)|John Scarlett]], [[William Gamble (business)|William Gamble]] and [[Joseph Rowntree (Canadian)|Joseph Rowntree]]. The last grist mill on the Humber, Hayhoe Mills in [[Woodbridge, Ontario|Woodbridge]], closed in 2007.

Prominent builder and Woodbridge founder Rowland Burr had though up the idea of a building shipping canal from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay along the main and east branches of the Humber River in the 1840's, and traversed the route himself north to Georgian Bay. In 1857, he proposed a 12 foot deep canal of 120 feet wide, with 64 cut stone double locks.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sawdon |first=Herb H. |author-link= |date=1960 |title=The Woodbridge Story |url= |location= |publisher= |page=44 |isbn=}}</ref> Despite repeated efforts into the 1890's (including petitioning for a grant of land to begin raising stock for the construction in 1862) the idea gained no traction.<ref>{{cite book |last=Reaman |first=G. E. |author-link= |date=1971 |title=A History of Vaughan Township |url= |location= |publisher=University of Toronto Press |page=81-82 |isbn=}}</ref>

By 1860, the Humber Valley was extensively deforested.  This decreased the stability of the river banks and increased damages done by periodic flooding. In 1878, a disastrous flood destroyed the remaining water-powered mills.  As the Toronto area grew, the lands around the Humber became important farming areas; in addition, some areas of the river's [[flood plain]] were developed as residential. This led to serious runoff problems in the 1940s, which the Humber Valley Conservation Authority was established to address.  But in 1954, [[Hurricane Hazel]] raised the river to devastating flood levels, destroying buildings and [[bridge]]s; on [[Raymore Drive]], 60 homes were destroyed and 35 people were killed. In the aftermath, preventative flood control efforts were taken including building channels, dams, reservoirs, and purchasing land around the Humber to establish flood plains, in a effort to prevent development on adjacent low-lying lands prone to flooding.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sawdon |first=Herb H. |author-link= |date=1960 |title=The Woodbridge Story |url= |location= |publisher= |page=144-145 |isbn=}}</ref>

The [[Toronto and Region Conservation Authority|Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority]] (MTRCA later TRCA) succeeded the Humber Valley authority in 1957 (the word "Metropolitan" was dropped in 1998).<ref name="CHRS" /> More recently, a task force within the Authority was formed to further clear the Humber as a part of the Great Lakes 2000 Cleanup Fund.{{Cn|date=January 2024}}

==Geography==
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2024}} 
The Humber River begins at Humber Springs Ponds on the Niagara Escarpment in [[Mono, Ontario|Mono]], [[Dufferin County]]<ref name="CHRS" /> and reaches its mouth at [[Humber Bay]] on Lake Ontario in the city of Toronto. The West Humber River goes through the [[Claireville Conservation Area]], joining the east branch at [[Summerlea Park]].

===Watershed===
[[Image:Foot of the Humber River Toronto1.jpg|thumb|right|Mouth of Humber River at Lake Ontario, with [[Humber Bay Arch Bridge]]]]

The Humber watershed is a hydrological feature of south-central Ontario, Canada, principally in north and west Toronto. It has an area of {{Convert|903|km2|sqmi|0}}, flowing through numerous physio-graphic regions, including the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment.<ref>{{cite book|url= http://www.trca.on.ca/dotAsset/50159.pdf|title= Humber river watershed plan: Pathways to a healthy Humber|date= June 2008|page= iii|publisher= Toronto and Region Conservation Authority|isbn= 978-0-9811107-1-4|access-date= 2012-03-15|archive-date= 2016-03-04|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093205/http://www.trca.on.ca/dotAsset/50159.pdf|url-status= dead}}</ref> The watershed is bounded on the west by the [[Credit River]], [[Etobicoke Creek]] and [[Mimico Creek]] watersheds, and on the east by the [[Garrison Creek (Ontario)|Garrison Creek]], Don River and [[Rouge River (Ontario)|Rouge River]] watersheds, all six of which empty into Lake Ontario; on the north by the [[Nottawasaga River]] which empties into [[Lake Huron]]; and on the northeast by the [[Holland River]], which empties into Lake Simcoe.<ref name="CHRS" />

Unlike the Don to the east, the Humber remained relatively free from industrialization as Toronto grew. Since the flooding of [[Hurricane Hazel]], it has been largely developed or redeveloped as parkland, with the extensive and important wetlands on its southern end remaining unmolested. Whereas the mouth of the Don is often clogged with flotsam and is obstructed by low bridges, the Humber is navigable and used for recreation and fishing.

Today the majority of the Toronto portion of the Humber is parkland, with paved trails running from the lake shore all the way to the northern border of the city some 30&nbsp;km away. Trails following the various branches of the river form some 50&nbsp;km of [[bicycling]] trails, much of which are in decent condition. Similar trails on the Don tend to be narrower and in somewhat worse condition, but the complete set of trails is connected along the lake shore, for some 100&nbsp;km of off-road paved trails.

===Tributaries===
[[File:Railway Bridge over the Humber River in Toronto.jpg|thumb|Railway bridge over the Humber River]]
* Albion Creek - The Albion Creek is a tributary of the West Humber. It flows south-west from east of [[Bolton, Ontario|Bolton]], meeting the West Humber from the north, between Islington Avenue and Martin Grove Road. It is approximately 9&nbsp;km long.
* Berry Creek - Berry Creek originates at Martin Grove Road just north of Rexdale Boulevard. It flows south-east to meet the main Humber from the west, west of the intersection of Albion Road and Weston Road, where Albion Road crosses the Humber. It is about 3.8&nbsp;km long.
* [[Black Creek (Toronto)|Black Creek]] - The Black Creek originates north of Toronto in Vaughan and meanders southerly to meet the lower Humber from the east about 800 m north of Dundas Street, in Lambton Golf and Country Club, James Gardens occupies the opposite bank of the river. 
* Centreville Creek
* East Humber - The East Humber flows from north of Toronto, meeting the main branch of the Humber in Woodbridge, just north of Highway 7. Its watershed extends east to Yonge Street and north to King City. Its source is Wilcox Lake and its wetlands east of Yonge Street and the village of Oak Ridges.
* Emery Creek - Emery Creek flows from its source west of Finch Avenue and Weston Road, south to meet the main Humber 500 metres west of Weston Road, about 1&nbsp;km south of Finch Avenue. It is about 2.4&nbsp;km long.
* Humber Creek - The Humber Creek runs south east, from its source near Islington Avenue and Dixon Road through residential areas, meeting the lower Humber from the west about 750 metres north of Eglinton Avenue. It is about 3.8&nbsp;km long.
* King Creek - King Creek is a tributary of the East Humber. It flows southerly from near Highway 27 and 16th Side Road to meet the East Humber south of King Road, east of Nobleton. The settlement of King Creek is located to the east of the confluence.
* Purpleville Creek
* Rainbow Creek
* Salt Creek
* Silver Creek - The Silver Creek runs south-westerly from its source about 300 metres west of Eglinton Avenue and Royal York Road, partly within a golf course, through residential areas to meet the lower Humber from the west about 1.2&nbsp;km south of Eglinton Avenue. It is about 2&nbsp;km long.
* West Humber - The West Humber meets the main branch of the Humber east of Albion Road and about 800 metres west of Sheppard Avenue and Weston Road. The West Humber itself has several branches flowing from north-west of Toronto.

'''Source:''' Toronto and Region Conservation Authority,<ref>{{cite report |title=Humber River: State of the Watershed Report – Aquatic System |publisher=Toronto and Region Conservation Authority |url=http://trca.on.ca/dotAsset/82106.pdf |page=27 |access-date=2013-07-16 |archive-date=2020-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012071521/http://trca.on.ca/dotAsset/82106.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Atlas of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/toporama/index.html |title=Natural Resources Canada: Toporama |date=12 September 2016 |publisher=Natural Resources Canada}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Etienne Brule Park]]
* [[Etobicoke]]
* [[Humber Bay Arch Bridge]]
* [[Humber Valley Village]]
* [[Lambton Mills]]
* [[List of Ontario rivers]]
* [[Weston, Toronto|Weston]]

==References==
{{Reflist |refs=
<ref name="CHRS">{{cite web|title= Humber River|publisher= The Canadian Heritage Rivers System|url= http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Humber/Humber-F_e.php|year= 2011|access-date= December 5, 2011|archive-date= September 23, 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203148/http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Humber/Humber-F_e.php|url-status= dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Refbegin}}
Other map sources:
*{{cite map|url= http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/map/images/pdf/southont/sheets/Map3.pdf|format= PDF|title= Map 3|series= Official road map of Ontario|publisher= [[Ministry of Transportation of Ontario]]|scale= 1 : 700,000|date= 2010-01-01|access-date= 2012-03-15}}
*{{cite map|url= http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=6577|title= Restructured municipalities - Ontario map #6|year= 2006|series= Restructuring Maps of Ontario|publisher= [[Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Ontario)|Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing]]|access-date= 2012-03-15|archive-date= 2021-02-24|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210224141854/http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=6577|url-status= dead}}
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|title=The Carry Place|work=Toronto: Biography of a City|year=2015|isbn=978-1-7710-0022-2|publisher=Douglas & McIntyre|last=Levine|first=Allan}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.trca.on.ca/the-living-city/watersheds/humber-river/ The Humber Watershed] at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
* [http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/manage/floodgen/e_ont.htm Flooding events in Canada - Ontario], an [[Environment Canada]] page

{{Toronto Waterways|state=expand}}
{{Toronto}}
{{Canadian Heritage Rivers System}}
{{greatlakes}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Toronto]]
[[Category:Canadian Heritage Rivers]]
[[Category:Tributaries of Lake Ontario]]
[[Category:First Nations sites in Toronto]]