The Rivière des Prairies, called the Back River in English, is a delta channel of the Ottawa River in southwestern Quebec, Canada. The Kanien'kehá:ka called it Skowanoti, meaning "River behind the island". The river separates the cities of Laval and Montreal.
Aerial view looking east, of Rivière des Prairies with Louis Bisson Bridge in the foreground. The island "Île aux Chats" can be seen near the centre.
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern Canada at the time. For most of its length, it defines the border between these two provinces. It is a major tributary of the St. Lawrence River and the longest river in Quebec.
The Ottawa River in autumn
In this false-colour satellite image, the Ottawa River flows southeast, joining the St. Lawrence River which flows northeast. Heavily forested areas appear differing shades of orange/red, while farmland is tan shades.
Ottawa River, looking upstream (view from the Peace Tower of Parliament Centre Block)
Ottawa River, looking downstream (view from the Peace Tower of Parliament Centre Block)