Chécatica River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chécatica River |
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| Native name | Netshikatikau Hipis |
| Other name(s) | Rivière Chécatica |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Côte-Nord |
| RCM | Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Gulf of Saint Lawrence 0 metres (0 ft) 51°23′13″N 58°16′47″W / 51.3869444°N 58.2797222°W |
| Length | 30 kilometres (19 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 193 square kilometres (75 sq mi) |
The Chécatica River (also known as Rivière Chécatica in French) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It's famous for its salmon! This river flows into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Where is the Chécatica River?
The Chécatica River is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) long. It flows from north to south. Sometimes, the river gets wider and forms lakes, like Lake Chécatica. The river ends by flowing into Jacques-Cartier Bay. This bay is part of the huge Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It's located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of a town called Blanc-Sablon. Jacques-Cartier Bay has a wiggly shape with many points of land, small bays, and islands. Chécatica Island sits right at the entrance to this bay. Near the coast, there's a small village named Shekatika. The river's mouth is in the area of Saint-Augustin. This area is part of Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality.
What Does the Name Mean?
The Innu people, who are Indigenous to the area, call the river Netshikatikau Hipis or Netsheskatakau Shipis. A priest named Father Georges Lemoine said the name comes from the word shikatikau. This word means "there are bushes beside the water." You might also see older names for the river, like Ouescatacou or Ouescatacouau. In 1534, the famous explorer Jacques Cartier visited Chécatica. He even called the area Port de Jacques-Cartier. He found many Indigenous people living there at that time.
The River's Basin
The area of land that drains water into the Chécatica River is called its basin. This basin covers about 193 square kilometers (75 square miles). It's located between the basins of two other rivers: the Coxipi River to the west and the Napetipi River to the east. The Chécatica River basin is partly in an undeveloped area called Petit-Mécatina. The other part is in the municipality of Saint-Augustin. The river is known as an important place for Atlantic salmon. You can also find brook trout swimming in its waters.
