Pinhey Sand Dunes Ottawa

The sand dune system in Canada’s Capital is an end product of the Champlain Sea which was a deep depression caused by the colossal pressure of the 2 km thick ice sheet during the last glacial period. The brackish Champlain Sea water originated from the Atlantic Ocean and melting glaciers. At about 11,500 BP (before present) the full extent of the Champlain Sea occurred as glaciers retreated northward. Without the pressure of the ice sheet, the land quickly rebounded rendering the Champlain sea floor rising above the sea level at about 8,500 BP. This brings to an end the Champlain Sea. During the growing seasons, southeasterly winds picked up refined sand grains on the exposed sea floor along the Prescott-Ottawa path, then deposited them here in Ottawa into an extensive sand dunes system of over 1.5 million square meters, presently known as the Pinhey Sand Dunes System (PSDS). Thus, the PSDS was formed between 8,000 and 8,500 BP. This unique dune habitat is home to a number of plant and animal species. These dune-dwelling organisms have inhabited these dunes for thousands of years despite the harsh dune environment with frequent strong winds, and extreme summer temperatures ranging from 60-72 degrees Celcius.