Charest River facts for kids

The Charest River is a river in the province of Quebec, Canada. It starts in Charest Lake, which is in the area of Montauban-les-Mines. This area is part of the municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Montauban. The Charest River is located in the Mekinac Regional County Municipality, within the Mauricie region.

In its upper part, the Charest River also collects water from nearby lakes. These include Lake of the Mine, Lake Perron, Lake Perreault, and Lake End.

The main economic activity in this region is farming. Tourism, like visiting for fun, is the second most important activity. Forestry, which involves managing forests and wood, comes in third.

The surface of the Charest River usually freezes from early December to late March. However, it's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from late December to early March.

Where the Charest River Flows

The Charest River flows south through different areas. It crosses parts of Saint-Ubalde. As it flows, it moves away from the borders of Lac-aux-Sables.

The river collects more water from Lake Sainte-Anne and Lake Perch. This happens as it moves towards the border between Saint-Ubalde and Saint-Adelphe. After this, the river turns to flow southeast. It runs almost parallel to the Batiscan River. It then goes through many lots in the First Price Row in eastern Saint-Adelphe. Here, the river's path becomes very winding, like a snake.

The River's Path to the Sainte-Anne River

The Charest River then flows down a hill called a moraine. This is in the municipality of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade. After this, the river makes a sharp 90-degree turn to the right, heading south. It enters Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain. It flows along the bottom of the moraine towards the village.

Then, the river turns sharply left again, another 90 degrees. It flows through the flat farming areas of Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain. Finally, it flows into the Sainte-Anne River. This meeting point is near "Ile Rivard" (Rivard Island) in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade. The Charest River is about 35 kilometres (22 mi) long. Along its journey, it drains water from many farms and forest areas. This is especially true when it travels through the moraine.

A Landslide's Impact

In 1950, a big landslide happened on the banks of the Charest River. This was in Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain. The landslide covered a large area, about 300 by 525 meters. This event changed the river's path, making it flow in a loop. It also changed how the water moved in the river.

Gendron Creek

Gendron Creek is a stream that flows into the Charest River. It starts in the Price row in Saint-Adelphe. From its source, Gendron Creek flows parallel to the Charest River and the Batiscan River.

The creek flows through rough land that is not good for farming. It then goes down a large moraine in a long crack in the ground. Its journey becomes very winding as it flows through the village of Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain. This is in the flat area called the St. Lawrence plain. Gendron Creek constantly forms new bends in its channel. It flows over the soft, muddy bottom of the lowlands.

Gendron Creek joins the Charest River very close to where the Charest River ends. In Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain, Edouard Creek is the main stream that flows into Gendron Creek. The water flow in Gendron Creek increases a lot when the snow melts in the spring. It can also rise temporarily after heavy rains.

What's in a Name?

The name Charest River was officially added to the list of place names in Quebec. This happened on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec. This group is like the Geographical Names Board of Quebec.