Where are the headwaters of the Don?
It is a myth that the source of the Don is the waterslide in Canada’s Wonderland – but it’s not far from the truth! The West and East (Little) Don rise in a number of streams, swamps and swales on the Oak Ridges Moraine in the northern part of the Vaughan near Wonderland. Of the Don’s major tributary streams, German Mills Creek rises just northwest of Richmond Hill. Taylor Creek (also known as Massey Creek) rises in developed land in Scarborough, near the 401 and Pharmacy Ave. Several creeks in old Toronto, including Sylvan (sometimes called Yellow) Creek, Mud Creek and Burke Brook rise on the grounds of the Downsview Airport.
The Don Watershed covers an area of 360 sq. km. It has 3 major branches. The west branch rises in the hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine in Maple and descends 48 kilometres to the lake. The east branch, also called the Little Don, has several tributaries which originate in the area north-east of Maple to North of Richmond Hill. The main tributary is German Mills Creek which flows through Richmond Hill. It joins the west branch at the Forks of the Don where Don Mills meets the Don Valley Parkway. The third branch is Massey Creek which originates in Scarborough and changes its name to Taylor Creek as it crosses into East York. Its original sources are buried under the 401 highway at Victoria Park. It flows 15 kilometres until it joins the east branch just north of the Forks. All 3 branches are clearly visible as the 3 main green corridors in the satellite view. (63K JPEG) When the ice fronts of the last Ice Age retreated 11,000 to 13,000 years ago, the Don River flowed out of the long glaci
