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The Rideau River is one of the cleanest rivers to flow
through any capital city. The scientists who participated in the Rideau
River Biodiversity Project did not observe any industrial pollution.
Indeed, the water quality in the Rideau River is relatively good and supports
a diversity of animal and plant life.
During the three years of the Project,
bacteria levels in the River were low enough to permit swimming on most
days without risk. (Note: The Rideau River diverges from the Rideau
Canal on the edge of downtown Ottawa; the ensuing stretch of the Canal
is not included in these results).
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| An aquatic beetle of the genus Peltodyte.
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Only the excess fertilizer that was present in the River
during each summer casts a slight pall over the otherwise bright picture.
The 30,000 water chemistry measurements taken by the
research team indicate that water quality is good between Smiths Falls
and Kars.
Downstream of Kars towards Ottawa, however, there were
excessive amounts of fertilizer in the water.
This is not dangerous for swimmers the way bacteria can be, but it does
cause excessive growth of plants and algae. The resulting dense mats
of decaying algae on the surface of the water can become a nuisance.
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