Bras de la rivière Ouelle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bras de la Rivière Ouelle |
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Chaudière-Appalaches |
| MRC | L'Islet Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Tourville 350 metres (1,150 ft) 47°01′08″N 69°59′53″W / 47.01877°N 69.99805°W |
| River mouth | Ouelle River Tourville 272 metres (892 ft) 47°06′49″N 69°57′02″W / 47.11361°N 69.95055°W |
| Length | 12.7 kilometres (7.9 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Bras de la Rivière Ouelle is a river in Quebec, Canada. Its name means "Arm of the Ouelle River" in English. This river is a smaller stream that flows into the main Ouelle River. It runs entirely within the town of Tourville. This area is part of the L'Islet Regional County Municipality in the Chaudière-Appalaches region.
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Journey of the Bras de la Rivière Ouelle
The Bras de la Rivière Ouelle starts its journey at a place called Lake Therrien. This lake is about 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) long and sits high up at 381 metres (1,250 ft) above sea level. It's located in the western part of Tourville, among the Notre Dame Mountains.
This starting lake is about 10.9 kilometres (6.8 mi) southwest of Tourville village. It's also near other towns like Sainte-Perpétue and Saint-Cyrille-de-Lessard. A railway line, used by Canadian National, runs along the northwest side of Lake Therrien. There are also some vacation homes built on the north shore of the lake.
River's Path
From Lake Therrien, the Bras de la Rivière Ouelle flows for about 17.9 kilometres (11.1 mi). Here's how it travels:
- For 11.9 kilometres (7.4 mi), it flows towards the northeast. It generally follows the path of the railway line. Along this part, it meets a stream from the northwest called the "outlet of the lake of Athacas."
- Then, it turns eastward for 2.0 kilometres (1.2 mi). It crosses the main street of Tourville, about 0.9 kilometres (0.56 mi) northwest of the village center.
- Finally, it flows for another 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) towards the northeast. This is where it joins the main Ouelle River, which comes from the south.
The point where the Bras de la Rivière Ouelle joins the Ouelle River is close to the Rang John road bridge. This meeting point is about 3.1 kilometres (1.9 mi) northeast of the center of Tourville village.
Why the Name "Ouelle River"?
The name "Bras de la Rivière Ouelle" simply means it's an "arm" or branch of the larger Ouelle River. So, to understand its name, we need to look at the history of the Ouelle River itself.
Early Maps and Names
The name "R. Hoel" first appeared on a map around 1641. This map was made by Jean Bourdon. This name was given to honor Louis Houël. He was an important person who worked for the king and was a member of a group called the Compagnie des Cent-Associés. Louis Houël was a good friend and helper of Samuel de Champlain, who was a famous explorer. Houël even spent a winter in Quebec in 1640–1641. He also helped bring a religious group called the Récollets to New France.
Later, in 1695, another map was drawn by Jean Deshayes. This map used the modern spelling we see today: "Ouelle river."
The official name "arm of the Ouelle River" was formally recognized on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is the organization in Quebec that names places.
