Hocquart Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hocquart Lake |
|
|---|---|
 Hocquart Lake
Location in Quebec
|
|
| Location | Lac-Achouakan |
| Coordinates | 48°00′46″N 71°33′03″W / 48.01278°N 71.55083°W |
| Lake type | Natural |
| Primary inflows | Pika River, ruisseau Gobeil et par la décharge du lac Larivière. |
| Primary outflows | Pika River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 2.3 km (1.4 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.6 km (0.37 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 555 m (1,821 ft) |
Hocquart Lake is a freshwater lake in Quebec, Canada. It's located in the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, a large protected area. The Pika River flows through the lake, connecting it to the larger Pikauba River and Saguenay River.
The area around Hocquart Lake is mostly wilderness. You can reach it using Quebec Route 169 and other smaller roads. These roads are mainly used for forestry and fun outdoor activities. Logging (forestry) is the main activity here. Tourism, like fishing and camping, is also important.
Hocquart Lake usually freezes over from early December to late March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to mid-March.
About Hocquart Lake
Hocquart Lake is shaped a bit like a pallet hat. It is about 2.3 km (1.4 mi) long and 0.6 km (0.37 mi) wide. The lake sits at an elevation of 555 m (1,821 ft) above sea level.
The lake gets its water from a few sources. The Pika River flows into it from the west. The Gobeil stream comes in from the east. Water also flows in from Lac Larivière, which is to the south.
The water from Hocquart Lake flows out through the Pika River. This river then joins the Pikauba River. The water continues its journey north to Kenogami Lake. From there, it flows into the Chicoutimi River, then the mighty Saguenay River. Finally, the water reaches the Saint Lawrence estuary near Tadoussac.
What's in a Name?
Hocquart Lake is named after Gilles Hocquart (1694-1783). He was an important person in the history of New France, which is what Canada was called long ago. Gilles Hocquart was born in France.
In 1729, he came to Quebec to work as an intendant. This job was like being a manager for the colony. He helped New France grow for about 20 years. He encouraged people to settle new lands and helped farmers. He also made sure the chemin du Roi (King's Road) was finished. This road was on the left bank of the St. Lawrence River.
Gilles Hocquart also supported shipbuilding and helped develop industries. He even helped the Forges du Saint-Maurice, which was a big ironworks. He was good at managing money for the colony.
One of his most important achievements was building a special place in Quebec to keep all the colony's important documents and records safe. The king of France didn't want this building, but Gilles Hocquart insisted. Because of his stubbornness, many old archives from the 17th and 18th centuries were saved. These documents tell us a lot about early Canadian history.
The name "Lac Hocquart" was officially given to the lake on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a naming committee for places in Quebec.
Related Places
- Lac-Saint-Jean-Est Regional County Municipality
- Lac-Achouakan, an unorganized territory
- Saguenay River
- Chicoutimi River
- Kenogami Lake
- Pikauba River
- Pika River
- Gilles Hocquart
- List of lakes in Canada
