It is 42 kilometres (26 miles) long and its watershed drains an area of approximately 306 km2 [1] spread across Stittsville, Kanata, and West Carleton-March.

The headwaters originate as the upper Carp River (also called Carp Creek), which runs southwest from Appaloosa Park under Eagleson Road through Glen Cairn where it empties into the marshes and storm water ponds south of the Canadian Tire Centre.

[2]  From there it flows north through West Carleton-March into the Ottawa River at Fitzroy Harbour.

[1][4] In the spring there is enough run-off water from melting ice that the Carp River becomes a whitewater paddling site.

Planning and analysis for this initiative has been underway since 2000 and involves numerous stormwater, sanitary, transportation, and waterflow projects.