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Bras du Nord-Ouest (Gouffre River tributary) facts for kids

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Bras du Nord-Ouest
Country Canada
Province Quebec
Region Capitale-Nationale
Regional County Municipality Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
City Baie-Saint-Paul
Physical characteristics
Main source La Flippe Lake
Baie-Saint-Paul
684 m (2,244 ft)
47°18′55″N 70°40′07″W / 47.31525°N 70.66867°W / 47.31525; -70.66867
River mouth Rivière du Gouffre
Baie-Saint-Paul
10 m (33 ft)
47°26′48″N 70°30′26″E / 47.44667°N 70.50723°E / 47.44667; 70.50723
Length 27.7 km (17.2 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
  • Left:
    (from the mouth) Discharge from a lake, five streams, stream from the Moulin, four streams, discharge from a small lake, stream, discharge from a small lake, discharge from two small lakes, rivière à Idas, two streams, discharge Lac à Foin and Lac Tremblay, five streams.
  • Right:
    (from the mouth) Le Petit Bras, Fourteen streams, discharge from an unidentified lake, four streams, discharge from an unidentified lake, four streams, discharge from an unidentified lake, discharge from Lake Larouche.

The Bras du Nord-Ouest is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Rivière du Gouffre. This river runs entirely through the city of Baie-Saint-Paul. This area is part of the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality.

The main road in this valley is Quebec Route 138. It follows the base of Cap de la Mare mountain. Besides homes, farming is the main activity here. The river usually freezes from early December to early April. It's safest to walk on the ice from mid-December to late March. The water level changes with the seasons and rain. The river often floods in April.

Where Does the Bras du Nord-Ouest Start?

The Bras du Nord-Ouest begins at La Flippe Lake. This lake is about 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) long. It sits high up, at 684 meters (2,244 feet) above sea level. The lake has marshy areas on its north and south sides.

The start of the river is:

  • 2.4 km (1.5 mi) northwest of a spot called "La Barrière" on Quebec Route 138.
  • 1.7 km (1.1 mi) west of a mountain peak that is 831 meters (2,726 feet) high.
  • 7.6 km (4.7 mi) southwest of the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.
  • 4.3 km (2.7 mi) northeast of a bend in the Sainte-Anne River.
  • 19.0 km (11.8 mi) south of where the Bras du Nord-Ouest meets the Rivière du Gouffre.
  • 7.8 km (4.8 mi) west of the St. Lawrence River.

How Does the River Flow?

From its source, the Bras du Nord-Ouest flows for about 27.7 kilometers (17.2 miles). It generally runs parallel to the St. Lawrence River. The river drops 674 meters (2,211 feet) from its start to its end.

Here's how it flows:

  • It goes north for 1.8 km (1.1 mi). Here, water from Lac Larouche joins it.
  • Then, it continues north for 1.3 km (0.8 mi) to a bend.
  • It turns northeast for 4.1 km (2.5 mi). Along the way, it collects water from several small streams. It also gets water from Lac Équerre. Then it turns north again. It picks up water from Lac à Foin and Lac Tremblay.
  • The river flows north for 6.1 km (3.8 mi). It makes a big "S" shape and some curves. The rivière à Idas joins it here.
  • It continues north for 5.9 km (3.7 mi). It passes east of Saint-Placide-de-Charlevoix village. Many streams, mostly from the mountains, flow into it. The Moulin stream also joins here.
  • For 2.5 km (1.6 mi), it flows north in a deep valley. It collects more streams. It then turns northeast to go around a mountain. This mountain is 643 meters (2,110 feet) high. Another stream joins it here.
  • It flows northeast for 4.6 km (2.9 mi). The valley becomes less steep. It forms some small channels in the middle. It makes a loop to the north. Near the end, it enters the city area. It reaches Quebec Route 138.
  • Finally, it flows northeast for 1.4 km (0.9 mi). Water from Le Petit Bras joins it. It then goes through downtown Baie-Saint-Paul. This is where it meets the Rivière du Gouffre.

Where Does the River End?

The Bras du Nord-Ouest ends by flowing into a bend of the Rivière du Gouffre. This happens in the city of Baie-Saint-Paul.

This meeting point is:

From the mouth of the Bras du Nord-Ouest, the current flows for 3.2 km (2.0 mi). It drops 6 meters (20 feet) along the Rivière du Gouffre. The Rivière du Gouffre then flows into the Saint Lawrence River at Baie-Saint-Paul.

What Does "Bras du Nord-Ouest" Mean?

Locals often call this river "Le Bras." In French Canadian names, especially in the Charlevoix area, "arm" (bras) is often used instead of "river." In the past, it was called "Bras Gariépy." This name came from a trading post nearby. Narcisse Gariépy ran this post around 1870.

Other names for this river have been: Bras Gariépy, Bras Nord-Ouest, Bras Nord-Ouest du Gouffre, Le Bras, Le Petit Bras, Rivière de l'Usine, Rivière du Bras, Rivière du Gouffre Bras Nord-Ouest, Rivière du Gouffre Nord-Ouest, Rivière du Nord-Ouest, Rivière Placide, and Rivière Saint-Placide.

The official name, "Bras du Nord-Ouest," was made official on August 17, 1978. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is in charge of place names in Quebec.

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