Aulneuse River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aulneuse River |
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| Native name | Rivière Aulneuse |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Chaudière-Appalaches |
| MRC | Lotbinière Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Agricultural and forest streams Saint-Apollinaire 128 metres (420 ft) 46°35′18″N 71°28′36″W / 46.58842°N 71.476588°W |
| River mouth | St. Lawrence River Saint-Nicolas 4 metres (13 ft) 46°42′32″N 71°22′56″W / 46.70889°N 71.38222°W |
| Length | 26.2 kilometres (16.3 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | St. Lawrence River |
| Tributaries |
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The Aulneuse River (in French: rivière Aulneuse) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the south side of the St. Lawrence River. This river runs through the areas of Saint-Apollinaire and the city of Lévis. Specifically, it passes through the Saint-Nicolas part of Lévis. This whole area is in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec.
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Discovering the Aulneuse River
The Aulneuse River is part of a larger system of waterways. Rivers and streams that are close to it include:
- To the north: The St. Lawrence River.
- To the east: Prairies stream, the Chaudière River, and the Beaurivage River.
- To the south: The Beaurivage River and the Loup River.
- To the west: Rondeau creek, Bourret creek, Bois Franc creek, and the Huron River.
Where the River Starts
The Aulneuse River begins in an area with farms and forests. This spot is about 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) west of a small community called Lac-du-Sacré-Coeur in Saint-Apollinaire. It's also about 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) southeast of Saint-Apollinaire village. The starting point is on the west side of Route 273.
The River's Journey
The Aulneuse River flows for about 26.2 kilometres (16.3 mi). Along its path, the river drops about 124 metres (407 ft) in elevation.
Here's how the river flows from its start:
- It travels 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) east. This takes it to the Lac-du-Sacré-Coeur bridge.
- Then, it goes 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) northeast. This brings it to the border between Saint-Apollinaire and Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon.
- It turns northwest for 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi), staying near that border.
- Next, it flows 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) northwest. It crosses the route du rang de Gaspé. This leads it to the border of Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon and Lévis (Saint-Nicolas area).
- It continues 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) northeast within Lévis (Saint-Nicolas area). It passes under Highway 20.
- The river then flows 12.9 kilometres (8.0 mi) northeast. It reaches Route 132 in Lévis (Saint-Nicolas area).
- Finally, it travels 0.4 kilometres (0.25 mi) north to where it joins the St. Lawrence River.
After going over the Desrochers falls, the Aulneuse River flows across the flat lands of Anse Ross. This is on the south shore of the estuary of Saint Lawrence. The river's end point is west of the village of Saint-Nicolas in Lévis. It is also west of a small place called La Citrouille. Its meeting point with the St. Lawrence River is west of where the Chaudière River also joins the St. Lawrence.
The Name of the River
The name "Aulneuse" comes from the French word for "alders." Alders are a type of tree that grows along the riverbanks. These trees like to grow in wet or well-watered soil.
The name for this river has been around since at least the late 1600s. This was when the first settlers arrived in the Saint-Nicolas area. In the 1700s, the Abenakis, an Indigenous people, would spend their summers near where the river meets the St. Lawrence. In the early 1800s, logging businesses, known as Ross work sites, grew near the river's mouth. These activities stopped around 1889.
Over time, the Aulneuse River has had many different names. For example, an old map from 1815 called it "Gaspé River." Other documents from the 1900s used names like Rivière Auneuse. Some other names included Rivière des Aunes, Rivière aux Neux, and Rivière Noailles.
The name “Rivière Aulneuse” was officially recognized on March 9, 1988. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is Quebec's place-name commission.
