Coxipi River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coxipi River |
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| Native name | Kak Sipi |
| Other name(s) | Rivière Coxipi |
| 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°18′16″N 58°28′51″W / 51.3044444°N 58.4808333°W |
| Length | 128 kilometres (80 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 1,672 square kilometres (646 sq mi) |
The Coxipi River (also known as French: Rivière Coxipi) is a special river in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. It is well-known for its salmon. The river flows south from Labrador and eventually reaches the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
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Where is the Coxipi River?
The main part of the Coxipi River is about 128 kilometres (80 mi) long. About 20 kilometres (12 mi) of this length is in Labrador. The river starts high up, at about 405 metres (1,329 ft) above sea level. It drops quite a bit, more than 240 metres (790 ft), in its first 30–40 kilometres (19–25 mi).
The river gets its water from Lake Poincarré. There's also a long, narrow lake called Lake Coxipi, which is actually a wider part of the river itself. The river ends in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, near the town of Saint-Augustin. This spot is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the village.
What Does the Name "Coxipi" Mean?
The Coxipi River has had a few names over time! In the past, old maps and books from 1914 and 1925 called it the Léandre River. People say this name came from a fisherman named Léandre who lived near the river's mouth for many years.
However, the local Innu people had their own name for it: Kak Sipi. This name means "porcupine river." In 1948, the Quebec Geography Commission officially decided to use "Coxipi" as the river's name. Some people also believe that coxipi might mean "sorcerer" in the Innu language.
What is the River Like?
Old descriptions from 1914 tell us a lot about the Léandre River, which is now the Coxipi. It was described as being about 60 miles (97 km) (about 96 kilometres (60 mi)) long. The river flows into the sea with a fast section that is about a mile long.
Long ago, people used the river to float wood. The land around the river was not good for farming, but it had some trees. The river was known for having lots of trout and salmon. It was also a great place for hunting, and local Indigenous people visited it often. The Léandre River also received water from several beautiful lakes surrounded by mountains.
The River's Surroundings
The area that drains into the Coxipi River, called its basin, covers 1,672 square kilometres (646 sq mi). A small part of this, about 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi), is in Labrador. The Coxipi River basin is located between two other river basins: the Saint-Augustin River to the west and the Chécatica River to the east.
Most of the Quebec part of the basin is in an unorganized territory called Petit-Mécatina. The rest is in the municipality of Saint-Augustin. The land in the river basin is generally high, with an average height of 249 metres (817 ft). Some parts go up to 503 metres (1,650 ft) high. There are plans to protect part of this area as the Basses Collines du Lac Guernesé Biodiversity Reserve. This would help keep the area safe from things like hydroelectric power projects.
Animals and Nature
The Coxipi River flows through different types of natural areas in Quebec. Most of the land around the river (about 80.6%) is covered in forests. A smaller part (3.1%) has shrubs or grasslands. About 9.6% of the area is water, and 1.2% is wetlands.
The weather here can be quite cold. The average daily temperature is between [convert: invalid number]. In January, it can get as cold as −16.5 to −12.8 °C (2.3 to 9.0 °F), while in July, it warms up to 13.9 to 15.2 °C (57.0 to 59.4 °F). The area gets a good amount of rain and snow each year, between 1,005.4 and 1,122.4 millimetres (39.58 and 44.19 in).
Many interesting animals live in the Coxipi River basin. You might find large mammals like black bears, moose, and boreal woodland caribou. Other animals include wolfs, lynxes, beavers, North American porcupines, minks, hares, and red foxes.
Fishing on the Coxipi River
The Coxipi River is famous for its Atlantic salmon. There are several great spots for fishing in the fast-moving parts of the river near its mouth. Salmon swim up the river for more than 30 kilometres (19 mi) to lay their eggs. You can also find many Brook trout here.
Outfitters, which are companies that provide services for outdoor activities, help people enjoy fishing on the river. For example, Pourvoirie Saint-Augustin offers fishing trips along a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) stretch of the river. You can reach them by boat or floatplane. Another outfitter, Pourvoirie Kecarpoui, organizes fishing and camping trips that include the Coxipi River and several other nearby rivers like the Véco, Kécarpoui, Saint-Augustin, Chécatica, and Napetipi rivers.
