Don River (Ontario)

Don River
The new mouth of the Don River
Don River (Ontario) is located in Toronto
Don River (Ontario)
Location of the mouth of the Don River in Toronto
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
Cities
Physical characteristics
SourceOak Ridges Moraine
 • locationOntario, Canada
 • coordinates43°59′20″N 79°23′57″W / 43.98889°N 79.39917°W / 43.98889; -79.39917
MouthKeating Channel| and the Toronto Harbour
 • location
Ontario, Canada
 • coordinates
43°39′4″N 79°20′51″W / 43.65111°N 79.34750°W / 43.65111; -79.34750
 • elevation
75 m (246 ft)
Length38 km (24 mi)
Basin size360 km2 (140 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationKeating Channel and the Toronto Harbour
Basin features
ProgressionLake OntarioSaint Lawrence RiverGulf of Saint Lawrence
River systemLake Ontario drainage basin
Tributaries 
 • leftTaylor-Massey Creek
 • rightGerman Mills Creek, Burke Brook, Mud Creek, Yellow Creek, Castle Frank Brook

The Don River is a watercourse in southern Ontario that empties into Lake Ontario, at Toronto Harbour. Its mouth was just east of the street grid of the town of York, Upper Canada, the municipality that evolved into Toronto, Ontario. The Don is one of the major watercourses draining Toronto (along with the Humber, and Rouge Rivers) that have headwaters in the Oak Ridges Moraine.

The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about 7 kilometres (4 mi) north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into the lake. The area below the confluence is known as the "lower Don", and the areas above as the "upper Don". The Don is also joined at the confluence by a third major branch, Taylor-Massey Creek. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is responsible for managing the river and its surrounding watershed.