Gravel River (Quebec) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gravel River
Native name	Rivière Gravel
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Admin. region	Côte-Nord
RCM	Sept-Rivières
Unorg. Territory	Lac-Walker
Physical characteristics
River mouth	Aux Rochers River 50°25′51″N 67°10′42″W / 50.4308333°N 67.1783333°W / 50.4308333; -67.1783333
Basin features
River system	Aux Rochers River
Basin size	939.3 square kilometres (362.7 sq mi)
Tributaries	Left: Petite rivière Gravel
NRC id	EIQAA

The Gravel River (also called Rivière Gravel in French) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Aux Rochers River and is located in the Côte-Nord region.

Where is the Gravel River?

The Gravel River is found in a part of Quebec called Lac-Walker, which is in the Côte-Nord area. Its name, Rivière Gravel, became official on February 25, 1976.

For most of its journey, the river flows south through the Port-Cartier–Sept-Îles Wildlife Reserve. If you look at a map of the planned Lake Walker National Park, you'll see the river enters the park near Lake Goéland. It then winds its way south to the northern end of Lake Walker, flowing somewhat parallel to the Schmon River.

How the River Flows

The Gravel River is one of the main rivers that feed into the Aux Rochers River. Other important rivers that join the Aux Rochers River include the MacDonald, Pasteur, and Schmon rivers.

The Gravel River drains an area of about 939.3 square kilometers (362.7 square miles). Long ago, when the ice from the last ice age was melting, the valleys of the Schmon and Gravel rivers were filled with water. This water helped create the bends and curves (called meanders) you see in the river today. The river also gets material from the erosion of its banks and the valley slopes.

Within the proposed park area, the river's valley stretches for about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) before it reaches Lake Walker. The valley has a U-shaped cross-section, like a trough. Along its path, there are some natural "locks" or ridges left behind by glaciers. Upstream from these ridges, the river flows through areas filled with sand and gravel left by melting glaciers.

In the Lake Ulysse-Morin area, many smaller streams flow into the Gravel River. After it meets the Petite Gravel River, the valley gets wider, and the river flows more calmly, forming many beautiful meanders. This part of the river is known for its natural beauty.

River Environment

Maps of Quebec's natural areas show that the Gravel River starts and flows south through a type of forest called the eastern spruce/moss domain. This is part of the larger boreal forest zone, which is known for its evergreen trees like spruce.

Lakes in the Gravel River Basin

Here are some of the lakes found in the area that the Gravel River drains: