Environment: Grand River

[plam]

My question is, how much water did the Grand have historically?  Has it always been this shallow?  I have not been able to find an answer to this question.

I don't have the answer to that particular question (although I'm sure that if you walked around at the University of Waterloo you could find people either in Geography or Civil Engineering who know that). I do know that Silver Lake and the adjoining watercourses used to run deeper and faster than now. Also part of the problem with Victoria Lake being smelly is that water doesn't flow as much, I believe (although with less conviction than about the Waterloo waterways).

For your specific question, as far as I can tell, the Grand River was historically only navigable up to Brantford, with the aid of canals created by the Grand River Navigation Company, subsequently superceded by the rails.

http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Grand/Grand-F_e.php