Bédard River facts for kids

The Bédard River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Saguenay River through a smaller channel called la Petite Décharge. This river is located in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean area.

The Bédard River flows through several towns and regions. These include:

• The Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality, specifically the town of Larouche.
• The Lac-Saint-Jean-Est Regional County Municipality, which includes Hébertville-Station, Saint-Bruno, and the city of Alma.

Many roads follow the Bédard River valley. These include Scott Street West, Route 169, and Quebec Route 170. Other local roads like boulevard Maurice-Paradis also serve the area.

The main activities in the Bédard River area are farming and forestry. Farming is the most important, followed by forestry.

The river usually freezes over from early December to late March. It's generally safe to walk or travel on the ice from mid-December to mid-March.

Where is the Bédard River?

The Bédard River is surrounded by other important water bodies.

• To the north, you'll find la Petite Décharge and the Saguenay River.
• To the east are streams like Rouge and Abattoir, and rivers like Raquette River and Dorval River.
• To the south, there's the Petite rivière Bédard, Grandmont brook, and La Belle Rivière.
• To the west, you can find the Raquette River and Lac Saint-Jean.

The Bédard River's Journey

The Bédard River starts at Lac Déry in Larouche. This lake is about 0.6 km (0.37 mi) long and sits 176 m (577 ft) above sea level.

The source of the river is located:

• 2.1 km (1.3 mi) west of Cascouia Bay, which is part of Kenogami Lake.
• 4.3 km (2.7 mi) south of the Canadian National train tracks.
• 5.1 km (3.2 mi) south of Route 170.
• 37.1 km (23.1 mi) south-east of the Saguenay River.
• 4.7 km (2.9 mi) south of the center of Larouche.
• 20.3 km (12.6 mi) south-east of where the Bédard River meets the Saguenay River.

From Lac Déry, the Bédard River flows for about 30.9 km (19.2 mi). It drops about 79 m (259 ft) in elevation along its path. The river mostly flows through farmland, but sometimes through forests.

Here's how the river flows:

• It travels 8.0 km (5.0 mi) west until it meets the Petite rivière Bédard.
• Then, it goes another 1.8 km (1.1 mi) west, reaching the Canadian National Railway in Hébertville-Station.
• It continues 2.6 km (1.6 mi) west, passing south of Hébertville-Station. It then turns north, crossing a road and reaching Route 169.
• The river flows 7.0 km (4.3 mi) north, crossing more roads and following Route 169. It then meets the Raquette River.
• Next, it flows 6.5 km (4.0 mi) northwest, crossing another road.
• Finally, it travels 5.0 km (3.1 mi) northwest, forming small streams and crossing Scott Street West, until it reaches its mouth.

The Bédard River empties into the south bank of the Saguenay River in a part called la Petite Décharge. This meeting point is located:

• 3.1 km (1.9 mi) east of where Lac Saint-Jean joins the Saguenay River.
• 5.6 km (3.5 mi) west of downtown Alma.
• 6.4 km (4.0 mi) south-west of the L'Isle-Maligne dam.

From the mouth of the Bédard River, the water flows into the Saguenay River for 139 m (456 ft) east. The Saguenay River then flows all the way to Tadoussac, where it joins the Saint Lawrence estuary.

How the Bédard River Got Its Name

The word "toponymy" means the study of place names. The Bédard River is named after a person named Bédard. It's said that this person drowned in the river during a log drive. A log drive was when logs were floated down a river to a sawmill.

This sad event likely happened before 1864. The river already had this name on a map made that year. An eyewitness said that Bédard fell into the water and managed to hold onto a rock for a while. However, the water was too high for anyone to reach him. The accident happened where two parts of the river meet.

The name "Bédard River" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a government board for place names in Quebec.

Related Articles

• Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality
• Lac-Saint-Jean-Est Regional County Municipality
• Larouche, a municipality
• Hébertville-Station, a municipality
• Saint-Bruno, a municipality
• Alma, a municipality
• Raquette River
• Petite rivière Bédard
• Saguenay River
• List of rivers of Quebec