Bras de Jacob facts for kids

The Bras de Jacob (which means "Jacob's Arm" in English) is a small river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Rivière du Moulin. This river runs through the city of Saguenay and a wild area called Lac-Ministuk. Both are located in the Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality, which is part of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. The Bras de Jacob also crosses the northwest part of the Zec Mars-Moulin, which is a special zone for hunting and fishing.

A road called Lac-du-Bois-Joli helps people get to the upper part of this river valley. It runs along the north side of Lac Jacob, which is where the river starts. Other smaller forest roads are also used in the area. These roads are mainly for logging and for people who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking or fishing.

The main activities in this valley are forestry (cutting down trees) and recreational tourism (people visiting for fun).

During winter, the surface of the Bras de Jacob usually freezes. This happens from early December until late March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to mid-March.

Where is the Bras de Jacob Located?

The Bras de Jacob is surrounded by other rivers and lakes. Here's a look at its neighbors:

• To the North: You'll find Desgagné Lake, Côté Lake, William Lake Brook, the Rivière du Moulin, the Chicoutimi River, and the big Saguenay River.
• To the East: There's the Rivière du Moulin, Bras des Mouches, La Petite Décharge, and the Rivière à Mars.
• To the South: You can find the Bras de Jacob Ouest (West Jacob's Arm), the Rivière du Moulin, Bras Henriette, Grand Lake, and Sec Stream.
• To the West: There's the Bras de Jacob Ouest, Simoncouche River, Simoncouche Lake, Des Îlets Lake, Dépôt Lake, Cyriac River, and the Chicoutimi River.

The River's Journey

The Bras de Jacob starts at the end of Lake Jacob. This lake is about 0.9 km (0.56 mi) long and sits at an altitude of 307 m (1,007 ft). The lake gets its water from Fournier Lake to the northeast and another unnamed lake to the west.

The source of the river is located:

• 4.5 km (2.8 mi) east of Route 175.
• 6.0 km (3.7 mi) southeast of where the Simoncouche River meets Kenogami Lake.
• 9.4 km (5.8 mi) southwest of the village of Laterrière.
• 6.9 km (4.3 mi) southwest of where the Bras de Jacob joins the Rivière du Moulin.
• 5.9 km (3.7 mi) southeast of the Portage-des-Roches dam, which is at the beginning of the Chicoutimi River.
• 24.1 km (15.0 mi) south of where the Rivière du Moulin meets the Saguenay River in the Chicoutimi area of Saguenay.

From its start, the Bras de Jacob flows for about 9.0 km (5.6 mi). It drops about 87 m (285 ft) in height along its path. The entire river flows through a forest area.

Here's how the river flows:

• For the first 5.0 km (3.1 mi), it flows east. It picks up water from Cami Lake and then makes two turns to the south. It then reaches a bend where it gets water from Desgagné Lake.
• Next, it flows southeast for 1.6 km (0.99 mi). It collects water from a small lake and then turns east. It continues until it meets the Bras Henriette.
• Finally, it flows northeast for 2.4 km (1.5 mi), curving east until it reaches its mouth.

The Bras de Jacob empties into the west bank of the Rivière du Moulin. This meeting point is located:

• 2.2 km (1.4 mi) east of Desgagné Lake.
• 8.2 km (5.1 mi) west of the Rivière à Mars.
• 10.7 km (6.6 mi) northeast of the Simoncouche River.
• 12.0 km (7.5 mi) southeast of the barrage de Portage-des-Roches (Portage-des-Roches dam) on the Chicoutimi River.
• 22.8 km (14.2 mi) southwest of where the Rivière du Moulin meets the Saguenay River.
• 21.9 km (13.6 mi) southeast of downtown Saguenay.

After the Bras de Jacob joins the Rivière du Moulin, the water flows north for 37.6 km (23.4 mi). Then, it enters the Saguenay River and flows east for 126.1 km (78.4 mi) all the way to Tadoussac. At Tadoussac, the Saguenay River joins the large Saint Lawrence Estuary.

Name Origin

The name "bras de Jacob" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is a group that names places in Quebec.

More to Explore

Here are some related topics you might find interesting:

• Saguenay
• Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality
• Lac-Ministuk, a type of unorganized territory
• Zec Mars-Moulin, a special zone for controlled hunting and fishing
• Bras de Jacob Ouest
• Bras Henriette
• Rivière du Moulin
• Saguenay River
• List of rivers of Quebec