This is the outline of the geography of the city of Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Ottawa's current borders were formed in 2001, when the former city of Ottawa amalgamated with the ten other municipalities within the former Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton. Ottawa is now a single-tiered census division, home to 1,017,449 people.
The city centre is located at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers. The Ottawa River forms the entire northern boundary of the city which it shares with the province of Quebec's municipalities of Pontiac and Gatineau. The northern boundary begins in the west at Arnprior and continues east to Rockland. The boundary then turns south in a straight line, separating the former Township of Cumberland (now in Ottawa) and the City of Clarence-Rockland. It then turns west in another straight line separating the former Township of Cumberland with the municipalities of The Nation and Russell. It then turns south separating Russell from the former Township of Osgoode (now in Ottawa). That boundary runs south in a straight line, then turns west separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Dundas. That boundary runs west in a straight line before turning north separating Osgoode from the municipality of North Grenville. This is another straight line, running north until the Rideau River near Kemptville. The boundary follows the river upstream until almost reaching Merrickville. The boundary then runs in a northwest direction in a straight line with a number of jogs. It separates the municipalities of Montague, Beckwith and Mississippi Mills from the former townships of Marlborough, Goulbourn, Huntley and Fitzroy.
Topography The highest point in Ottawa is above sea level, and is located SSE of Manion Corners ().Ottawa High Point, Ontario The lowest point in the city is the Ottawa River, at above sea level.
Highest points by ward
Ward Highest point Elevation (approx.) West Carleton-March Ward SSE of Manion Corners Rideau-Jock Ward N of Munster on Jinkinson Road Kanata South Ward Glen Cairn Reservoir College Ward Khymer Court Stittsville Ward Rockson Crescent Kanata North Ward Huntsville Drive Osgoode Ward SE of Bank Street at Rideau Road Cumberland Ward Cumberland Ridge Drive Barrhaven Ward Cedarview Road Gloucester-Southgate Ward Tom Roberts Avenue Knoxdale-Merivale Ward Cedarview Road at Cedarhill Drive River Ward Carlington Hill Bay Ward Wesley Clover Parks Gloucester-South Nepean Ward Osgoode Link Pathway at High Road Innes Ward WSW of Forest Ridge Pumping Station Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward Quarry Park Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward Foxview Place Alta Vista Ward Alta Vista Drive at Randall Avenue Capital Ward Bank Street at Alta Vista Drive Orléans Ward Clearcrest Crescent Kitchissippi Ward Maitland Avenue Bridge Somerset Ward Parliament Hill Rideau-Vanier Ward Richelieu Park
Geology
Many features of geologic interest are found in Ottawa.
Site FeatureW. Erskine Johnston Public SchoolGlacially sculpted Precambrian gneiss outcropsKanata Centrum Shopping Centre Sandstone and dolomite outcropsStony Swamp Conservation Area Cambrian-Ordovician sandstone strataChamplain Bridge Stromatolite fossilsWestboro Beach Stromatolite, orthocone and trace fossilsTransitway at Roosevelt Avenue Stromatolite fossilsTunney's Pasture Cross-section of the Gloucester FaultGeological Survey of Canada Fossiliferous limestone outcropHog's Back Falls Ordovician sedimentary rocks and the Gloucester FaultMer Bleue Bog Boreal peatlandVictoria Island Dune bedforms and fossiliferous limestoneLady Grey Drive Ordovician limestone depositsPinhey's Point Glacial erraticsPetrie Island Sedimentary shoreline with imported Ordovician blocks Carp Hills Outcrops of the Canadian ShieldPinhey Sand Dunes Dunes from an ancient shoreline of the Champlain SeaCardinal Creek Karst Paleozoic karstBurnt Lands AlvarLimestone alvarColonel By ValleyShallow valley that descends into the Ottawa RiverNanny Goat HillSteep limestone escarpment
Climate Classification
Recent data Central Experimental Farm
Ottawa Central Experimental Farm maximum records: Record high temperature of recorded on August 14, 1944 Record high daily minimum of recorded on August 9, 2001 Record high dew point of recorded on August 6, 2001 Most humid month with an average monthly dew point of recorded during July 2006 Warmest month with an average monthly mean temperature of recorded during July 1921 Warmest monthly average daily maximum of recorded during July 1921 Warmest monthly average daily minimum of recorded during July 1921 July 2020 saw no daily maximum temperature below July 2020 saw no temperature below August 2015 saw no dew point below
The lowest yearly maximum dew point is recorded in 2014. The lowest yearly maximum daily minimum temperature is recorded in 1886. The lowest yearly maximum temperature is recorded in 1883, the only year where summer did not exceed in Ottawa.
The average yearly maximum dew point is and the average yearly maximum daily minimum temperature is .
Ottawa International Airport
Ottawa Airport maximum records: Record high temperature of recorded on August 14, 1944 Record high daily minimum of recorded on July 9, 1955 Record high dew point of recorded on June 24, 2025 Most humid month with an average monthly dew point of recorded during July 2024 Warmest month with an average monthly mean temperature of recorded during July 2020 Warmest monthly average daily maximum of recorded during July 2020 Warmest monthly average daily minimum of recorded during July 2020 July 2020 saw no daily maximum temperature below July 2020 saw no temperature below August 2015 saw no dew point below
The lowest yearly maximum dew point is recorded in 1976; the lowest yearly maximum daily minimum temperature is recorded in 1976; and the lowest yearly maximum temperature is recorded in 2000.
The average yearly maximum dew point is and the average yearly maximum daily minimum temperature is .
Notes
Historical data
Rivers and creeks
Tributaries of the Ottawa River (from east to west):
Becketts Creek Cardinal Creek Taylor Creek Bilberry Creek Green's Creek Mud Creek Borthwick Creek Nicolet Drain Ramsay Creek McEwan Creek Rideau River Rideau Canal (artificial) Brown's Inlet Patterson Creek Graham Creek Still Water Creek Watts Creek Shirley's Brook Constance Creek Carp River Mississippi River Cartwrights Creek Cody Creek Madawaska River (mouth not in Ottawa)
Tributaries of the Rideau River (from north to south):
Sawmill Creek Nepean Creek Black Rapids Creek Mosquito Creek Jock River Mahoney Creek Nichols Creek Kings Creek Mud Creek Stevens Creek Cranberry Creek McDermot Drain (mouth not in Ottawa) Brassills Creek Rideau Creek
Other rivers and creeks within City of Ottawa: Bear Brook South Indian Creek Shaws Creek McKinnons Creek North Castor River Black Creek Middle Castor River South Castor River
Features of the Ottawa River
(from east to west)
Features of the Rideau River
(from north to south)
Waterfalls Chaudière Falls Hog's Back Falls Princess Louise Falls Rideau Falls
Lakes
Brewer Park Pond Constance Lake Lac des Chats Dow's Lake Lac Deschênes Lake Madawaska McKay Lake Mud Lake Mud Pond Sand Pits Lake
Notes
References
External links Take a Virtual Cruise on the Ottawa River