Sixteen Mile Creek Rivière de Gravois ("gravelly river" in French) | |
---|---|
Native name | niizhozaagiwan (Eastern Ojibwa) |
Location | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
Region | Greater Toronto Area |
Regional Municipality | Halton |
Municipalities | Oakville, Milton |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | wetland |
• location | Milton |
• coordinates | 43°35′08″N 80°02′34″W / 43.58556°N 80.04278°W |
• elevation | 365 m (1,198 ft) |
Mouth | Lake Ontario |
• location | Oakville |
• coordinates | 43°26′22″N 79°39′57″W / 43.43944°N 79.66583°W |
• elevation | 74 m (243 ft) |
Basin size | 372 km2 (144 sq mi) |
Basin features | |
River system | Great Lakes Basin |
Sixteen Mile Creek is a river in Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.[1] It is in the Great Lakes Basin, and flows from the Niagara Escarpment through the towns of Milton and Oakville to Lake Ontario.[2]
The creek is named for the distance from the river's mouth to the western end of Lake Ontario.[3] It was previously known to the Mississauga Indians in their language as Ne-sauga y-onk or niizhozaagiwan ("having two outlets")[4] and to the French as Rivière de Gravois ("gravelly river").[5]
Like many creeks draining into Lake Ontario, Sixteen Mile Creek has cut a deep valley that is home to a broad range of wildlife, including whitetail deer, raccoons, foxes, opossum, and squirrels.[6] The forest contains tree species typical of the Carolinian forest habitat,[7] although since this is close to the northern limit of this zone, some are poorly represented. The total area of the drainage basin is 372 square kilometres (144 sq mi).[8]
In Oakville, it also forms part of Glen Abbey Golf Course[9] and is home to the Oakville Yacht Squadron.[10]