Ottawa River drainage basin
The Ottawa River drainage basin is the drainage basin in northern North America where surface water empties into the Ottawa River and adjoining waters. Spanning an area of about , it is the 12th largest drainage basin in Canada, occupying the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It accounts for about 11% of the total Saint Lawrence River drainage area.
Interbasin transfer
Characteristics of major existing interbasin transfers and other large-scale water transfers to alleviate water scarcity
In Canada, sixteen interbasin transfers have been implemented for hydropower development. The most important is the James Bay Project from the Caniapiscau River and the Eastmain River into the La Grande River, built in the 1970s. The water flow was reduced by 90% at the mouth of the Eastmain River, by 45% where the Caniapiscau River flows into the Koksoak River, and by 35% at the mouth of the Koksoak River. The water flow of the La Grande River, on the other hand, was doubled, increasing from 1,700 m³/s to 3,400 m³/s (and from 500 m³/s to 5,000 m³/s in winter) at the mouth of the La Grande River. Other interbasin transfers include:The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in the USA, which serves to divert polluted water from Lake Michigan.