Ariane Lalonde, Water Quality Assistant with Ottawa Riverkeeper, reflects on her work testing local swimming sites and answers a few of the public’s most burning questions about water quality and swimming in the Ottawa River watershed. As the Water Quality Assistant at Ottawa Riverkeeper, I was often asked about my...
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Ottawa Riverkeeper
Thinking with Rivers in the Amazon
September 28, 2026
Riverkeeper & CEO Laura Reinsborough and Director of Science & Policy Larissa Holman recently returned from the biennial global conference for members of the Waterkeeper Alliance, this time held in Quito, Ecuador with local host Guayllabamba Waterkeeper. Laura shares stories and updates of the experience. “What does it mean to...
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Closing the Gaps in Recreational Water Testing
July 25, 2026
When temperatures rise, people head to the water. But how do we know when beaches are suitable for swimming? Introduction As summer temperatures climb across the National Capital Region, thousands of people flock to local beaches, rivers, lakes, and swim docks to cool off. Behind every swimming recommendation is an...
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Comments on the Discussion Paper: Getting Major Projects Built in Canada
July 15, 2026
Ottawa Riverkeeper is a charitable organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the ecological health of the Ottawa River and its tributaries. Over the past 25 years, we have reviewed and commented on numerous projects with the potential to affect the Ottawa River watershed. Through this work, we have seen firsthand...
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When Heavy Rain Changes Water Quality: What Swimmers Need to Know
July 10, 2026
Following the intense rainfall that swept across Canada's National Capital Region on July 1, many people have been wondering: Is it safe to swim after such a heavy rain? Let’s plunge into the latest recreational water quality results to help answer that question. What to expect In general, water quality...
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We All Live Downstream
July 8, 2026
by Jill Heinerth There is a kind of work that begins with curiosity but grows into responsibility. That is how I feel about cave diving in the Ottawa River. I enter these submerged passages because I am drawn to hidden places, to the thrill of discovery, and to the questions...
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