Madawaska River (Ontario)  The Madawaska River is a river in the Saint Lawrence River drainage basin in Ontario, Canada. The river is long and drains an area of . Its name comes from an Algonquian band of the region known as "Matouweskarini", meaning "people of the shallows". The Madawaska River rises at Source Lake in geographic Canisbay Township in the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District, in the highlands of southern Algonquin Park. It flows east, dropping before emptying into the Ottawa River at Arnprior. The lower portion of the Madawaska River supports several large lakes, including:  In the late 19th century, the river was used to transport lumber from the forested areas surrounding the river. Beginning in the 1960s, the river was used to generate hydroelectric power. Undammed sections of the river are also used for canoeing, kayaking and recreational fishing. Around 1916, artist Tom Thomson followed the log drive down the river, painting the subject in "The Drive" (1916-17). The most common species of game fish found in this river include walleye (yellow pickerel), northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass. Two sections of the river are designated and protected as provincial waterway parks:  Both parks are administered by Ontario Parks but are non-operating, meaning there are no visitor facilities or services available. Both are ideal for whitewater canoeing.