Rouge River

There is also the River Rouge in southeast Michigan.

The Rouge River is a river in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begins at the Oak Ridges Moraine near Richmond Hill. The river flows past:

• Markham, Ontario, northwest, central, to south, including a couple of conservation areas.
• Northeastern half of Scarborough
• Rouge Valley Park[1]

At the southern end, the river is the boundary between Port Union and southeastern Pickering. Rouge River empties into Lake Ontario.

Its original name in Iroquois was Katabokokonk.

The Rouge River is the only wilderness area left in Southern Ontario, and has been virtually untouched by development since the arrival of Europeans. It is currently surrounded largely by agricultural land. It is even devoid of recreational developments such as walking or bicycle paths and, unlike other rivers in the Toronto area, is allowed to fill it's entire flood plain on a regular basis rather than being forced through an artificial channel. However, parts of its watershed include the Toronto Zoo and the Beare Road Landfill.

In the former city of Scarborough, the Rouge was the "third rail" issue of municipal politics, and many minor candidates for mayor often ran on a platform to preserve it. However, since Scarborough was absorbed into the city of Toronto, Toronto City Council has voted on occassion to allow development around the river.

See also

• List of Ontario rivers