# Speed River > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Speed_River > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Speed_River.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_River > Source revision: 1277692031 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Short description|River in Canada}} {{Infobox river | name = Speed River | image = Speed River in Guelph.jpg | image_caption = The Speed River flowing east through [Guelph](/source/Guelph), [Ontario](/source/Ontario) in April, 2008 | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Canada | subdivision_type2 = [Province](/source/Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada) | subdivision_name2 = [Ontario](/source/Ontario) | source1_location = [Orton, Ontario](/source/East_Garafraxa) | mouth_location = [Grand River](/source/Grand_River_(Ontario)) at [Cambridge](/source/Cambridge%2C_Ontario) | length = | source1_elevation = | mouth_elevation = | discharge1_avg = | basin_size = }} The '''Speed River''' is a [river](/source/river) that flows through [Wellington County](/source/Wellington_County%2C_Ontario) and the [Region of Waterloo](/source/Waterloo_Regional_Municipality%2C_Ontario) in southwestern [Ontario](/source/Ontario), [Canada](/source/Canada). It flows south from its source near [Orton](/source/East_Garafraxa), through [Guelph](/source/Guelph%2C_Ontario), where it is joined by the [Eramosa River](/source/Eramosa_River), then through the towns of [Hespeler](/source/Hespeler%2C_Ontario) and [Preston](/source/Preston%2C_Ontario), finally uniting with the [Grand River](/source/Grand_River_(Ontario)) in north-west [Cambridge](/source/Cambridge%2C_Ontario). == Guelph Lake == {{main|Guelph Lake}} North of Guelph, [Guelph Lake](/source/Guelph_Lake) was formed as a result of the river being dammed. The dam is one of several features on the river used to prevent flooding in spring. Excess [runoff](/source/Surface_runoff) is collected in the {{convert|1700|acre|km2|adj=on}} Guelph Lake Reservoir which is drained in the previous autumn, and in summer the water is released slowly to regulate the flow of the river.Grand River Conservation Authority: [http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document.cfm?Sec=28&Sub1=6&Sub2=0 GRCA - Fishing Guelph Lake] == Parks and conservation areas== thumb|220px|left|Riparian restoration along n. bank of Speed, Guelph, Oct. 2008 thumb|220px|right|Another view of the Speed River in the city of Guelph. Taken from the footbridge in Riverside Park, looking upstream (north); July 2009 Guelph Lake Conservation Area is on the shore of Guelph Lake, which was formed by the damming of the Speed River. It is owned and managed by the [Grand River Conservation Authority](/source/Grand_River_Conservation_Authority).{{cite web |url=http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document.cfm?Sec=27&Sub1=0&sub2=0 |title=Grand River Conservation Areas |language=en |access-date=7 July 2023 |publisher=[Grand River Conservation Authority](/source/Grand_River_Conservation_Authority) |website=www.grandriver.ca |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061027105113/http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document.cfm?Sec=27&Sub1=0&sub2=0 |archive-date=October 27, 2006}} Riverside Park in Guelph, Ontario, is built beside the Speed River, and it is one of the oldest parks in Ontario.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} It forms part of an attempted natural buffer along the Speed: "OPIRG-Guelph and other community groups have worked, in partnership with the City to rehabilitate the local river environment. Today, the river's edge is allowed to naturalize, benefiting the environment and saving maintenance. The City of Guelph's River Systems Management Plan is a positive approach to river management [whose] vision is to protect the rivers' role within the city, by featuring them in urban design, and enhancing and protecting ecological diversity, while providing beneficial uses for the community." Chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers have been abandoned, in an effort of produce a narrow buffer strip within the thirty meter "[riparian zone](/source/riparian_zone)" between the rivers and their surrounding parklands, including river paths. "The buffer provides food, habitat, and a corridor for wildlife, as well as improving water quality by minimizing erosion, acting as a filter and providing shade, to lower water temperature", increasing oxygen, thus decreasing algae and bacterial contents.Signage material from Speed River walking path, west. In the town of Hespeler, part of Cambridge, there are several parks on the banks of the Speed River, such as Jacob's Landing, Riverside Park, Hespeler Mill Pond and Ellacott Lookout.[http://www.cambridge.ca/live/recreation/parks Live {{pipe}} City of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada] Chilligo Conservation Area, in Cambridge, resides at the confluence of the Speed River and Chilligo Creek. It is owned and managed by the [GRCA](/source/GRCA).[http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&safe=on&ie=UTF8&ll=43.42905,-80.323792&spn=0.019043,0.043344&t=p&z=15 Google Maps] The former site of [Idylwild Park](/source/Idylwild_Park) is on the Speed River in Cambridge. A portion, along the southern bank, is now a [conservation area](/source/conservation_area) that is owned and managed by the GRCA.[http://www.cambridge.ca/community_services/trails_and_cycling/mill_run_trail Mill Run Trail {{pipe}} City of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824071420/http://www.cambridge.ca/community_services/trails_and_cycling/mill_run_trail |date=2010-08-24 }}[http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&safe=on&ie=UTF8&ll=43.417019,-80.335422&spn=0.019046,0.043344&t=p&z=15 Google Maps] Riverside Park, Cambridge's largest park, is on the banks of the Speed River.[http://www.cambridge.ca/cs_community/parks.php?fid=2&cpid=0&scpid=0&did=0&sid=0&ssid=0&tp=1&grid=13 Live {{pipe}} City of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317091735/http://www.cambridge.ca/cs_community/parks.php?fid=2&cpid=0&scpid=0&did=0&sid=0&ssid=0&tp=1&grid=13 |date=2009-03-17 }} Linear Park, in Cambridge, lies at the confluence of the Speed and [Grand](/source/Grand_River_(Ontario)) rivers.[http://www.cambridge.ca/cs_community/parks.php?fid=78&cpid=0&scpid=0&did=0&sid=0&ssid=0&tp=1&grid=13 Live {{pipe}} City of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada] == Fishing == There are several species of fish in the Speed River, including, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, [rainbow](/source/Rainbow_Trout), [brown](/source/Brown_Trout) and [brook trout](/source/brook_trout), [northern pike](/source/northern_pike), [bullhead](/source/Ameiurus), [carp](/source/carp) and [panfish](/source/panfish). As of January 2011, efforts are being made to restore the extirpated populations of all trout species to the Speed River in Guelph. Fish impediments, such as dams, have contributed to increasing water temperature and the prevention of migration during spawning, both of which are and continue to be a reason why no trout have been caught in Guelph in decades.Grand River Conservation Authority: [http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document.cfm?Sec=28&Sub1=21&sub2=0 GRCA - Fishing the Speed River] Guelph Lake is popular for fishing [yellow perch](/source/yellow_perch) and pike. Although the GRCA hosted ice fishing on Guelph Lake in the past, they no longer do so and the lake, along with the rest of the conservation area it is a part of, is now considered off-limits during the winter."[http://www.grandriver.ca/Newsroom/News.cfm?id=572 Stay off the ice at Guelph Lake]". ''GRCA website''. 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2011-01-21. ==See also== * [List of rivers of Ontario](/source/List_of_rivers_of_Ontario) == References == {{reflist|2}} == External links == * [http://www.guelph.ca Guelph Parks] {{guelph}} {{Coord|43|23|15|N|80|22|1.5|W|display=title}} Category:Rivers of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo Category:Rivers of Wellington County, Ontario Category:Landforms of Guelph Category:Tributaries of the Grand River (Ontario) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Speed River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_River) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_River?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.