Burleigh Falls Earthcache : Where Does it Come From, Where Does it Go ?
Here is another fantastic Earthcache idea from 25 year old, Dreamcacher, who figures that many young people, like herself, who have lived near the Trent Severn Waterway all their lives, know very little about where the water in the Trent Severn Waterway starts or flows.
Dreamcacher wants people to discover ! Like the song says, “Where does it come from? Where does it go? Where does it come from, Cotton Eye Joe”
REQUIREMENTS :
The posted co-ords take you to the Burleigh Falls (Lovesick Lake) Parks Canada Lock. Park for free and walk over to the big signs. Find the coloured map showing the whole Trent Severn Waterway. (In winter, if the lock gates are closed, park at the Burleigh Falls Inn and walk over). In winter, the map is closed for protection, but apparently not always locked, and you might be able to lift the pin and open the wooden cover to view the sign. Alternatively, you may skip Questions 1.- 3. during the winter months and just go look at the Falls and describe what you see.
1. Using the coloured map in front of you, find the water summit (highest elevation) and email me the name of the lake there.
2. Take an elevation reading here at the sign. From here, it is 8 metres lower to Stoney Lake, so tell me the elevation of Stoney Lake (at the bottom of Burleigh Falls).
3. On the map, run your finger along the water route from Burleigh Falls to the Bay of Quinte and tell me the number of locks between here and there.
4. Drive to the waypoint on Old Burleigh Road, (just over the bridge) N 44 33.355 W78 12.192 and make some general observations describing what you see here in terms of landscape and waterscape, size of rocks, colour of rocks, and noise level.
*Optional: take a photo near this waypoint and post with your log.
*BONUS POINT : Dreamcacher likes to give Bonus Points ! What is the lowest elevation point in the Trent Severn Waterway. Is it Georgian Bay or the Bay of Quinte ?
WINTER : Please come visit in winter! There are fewer requirements, too! Simply answer Question 4.
Background :
Burleigh Falls is both a geological feature and a small community, north of Peterborough, Ontario. The falls are more accurately described as a chute or cascade, since the drop in water level is more horizontal than vertical. The “Falls” are created by a narrowing in the flow of water between Lovesick Lake and Lower Buckhorn Lake on the west and Stoney Lake to the east. At one time the landform was known as the "Burleigh Chute”.
In historical times, because of the large number of lakes and the rocky uneven terrain of the Canadian Shield, most travel in central Ontario took place on water. The Trent Severn Waterway, an extensive system of locks and dams, was built to facilitate this travel. At Burleigh Falls, the large, rapidly moving flow, cascading over and around rocks, was a serious barrier to transportation, so the Burleigh Falls Lock was built just to the north of the falls, allowing boat traffic to bypass the falls. Commonly known as the Lovesick Lock, Lock 28 is composed of two 4m flights, and the lock canal, about 190m in length, was blasted through solid granite, much of which is pink feldspar, as you will see when you visit. The lock was completed in 1887. Limestone around this area was used in the construction of several nearby locks.
Burleigh Falls is approximately half-way along the Trent Severn Waterway between Georgian Bay and the Bay of Quinte, connecting 2 of the Great Lakes: Lake Huron and Lake Ontario.
The Trent Severn Waterway includes 45 locks spanning a distance of 387 km. Burleigh Falls is at the 200th km. At the highest point, the elevation is 180 metres above Lake Ontario and 80 metres above Georgian Bay.
This simple Earthcache is designed to help people get a birds-eye-view of the extensive Trent Severn Waterway from start to finish, and all the locks in between. It will teach you where the water begins and where it flows (where it comes from and where it goes).
Regarding the posted co-ordinates at Lock 28: From May to October you can park for free about 30-50 metres from the posted co-ordinates and it is wheel-chair accessible over a little bit of cut grass. You can park for the whole day for a small fee, or launch your large houseboat here at the boat launch for a larger fee.
Regarding the Earthcache waypoint, at the Falls: you COULD make the observations from your car at the waypoint co-ords, N 44 33.355 W78 12.192, or enjoy getting out of the vehicle and walk down on the well-used paths to the rocks on the edge of the chute. A couple hundred more metres east on the Old Burleigh Road, at N 44 33.320, W 78 12.096, there is a rough parking lot for a few cars where you could leave your vehicle, take a path to the rocks and get a better view. You will want to park here if you are going to have a picnic or swim.
This is where we like to jump into the rapids. N 44 33.359, W 78 12.107 Disclaimer: We are not suggesting you do this, we are just stating that we do it and have not been hurt. We usually wear our lifejackets when we jump, and lift our legs up so we don’t hit the rocks with our knees.
It is also possible to swim or kayak around to the big rocks in the middle in the summer when the flow is not too strong.
Resources : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burleigh_Falls https://www.trentsevern.com/ https://thetrentsevernwaterway.com/
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