Chaudière Falls, Double waterfall system in Ontario and Quebec, Canada
Chaudière Falls is a waterfall system straddling the Ontario-Quebec border where water flows across multiple segments spanning about 240 meters wide. The cascades descend at varying heights, creating a series of drops as the Ottawa River crosses between the two provinces.
During the 1800s, the falling water powered lumber mills that processed timber along the Ottawa River banks, making this location central to the regional timber industry. This industrial heritage eventually led to the construction of hydroelectric facilities in later decades.
The Algonquin Anishinaabe people called this place Asticou, which means kettle, referring to how the churning water and mist create a shape like that vessel at the base where the cascades land.
Viewing platforms and walking trails let you see the water from different angles along both sides of the river. A suspension bridge connects the two provinces and offers a unique vantage point directly above the cascading water.
Hidden beneath the river, underground turbines operate part of one of Canada's oldest still-running hydroelectric stations from 1891. This concealed infrastructure quietly powers thousands of homes while the natural falls remain visible and unchanged above.
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