Jupiter River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jupiter River |
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Côte-Nord |
| RCM | Minganie |
| Island | Anticosti Island |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Létourneau Lake L'Île-d'Anticosti 189 m (620 ft) 49°28′53″N 62°55′26″W / 49.48138°N 62.92381°W |
| River mouth | Gulf of Saint Lawrence L'Île-d'Anticosti 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) 49°28′34″N 63°35′37″W / 49.47611°N 63.59361°W |
| Length | 82.4 km (51.2 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Jupiter River (or rivière Jupiter in French) is an important river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and is located on Anticosti Island. This island is part of the Minganie Regional County Municipality in the North Shore region.
The Jupiter River is the most important river on Anticosti Island. It's famous for its beautiful scenery, especially a canyon with cliffs up to 100 m (330 ft) high. You can also see thousands of deer and seals along its banks. It's a popular spot for sport fishing, especially for salmon.
A forest road helps people reach the lower part of the river valley. This road connects to the main road on the northern part of the island. Another road goes north-south, leading to the western part of Anticosti national park. The main activities in this area are forestry (cutting down trees) and tourism, especially outdoor recreation.
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Exploring the Jupiter River's Path
The Jupiter River starts at Létourneau Lake, which is 189 m (620 ft) above sea level. This lake is in the middle of Anticosti Island. The area around the source has many smaller lakes and ponds. The river gets water from ten smaller streams that flow into it. The water flows gently at the start but becomes fast further downstream.
The river's source is about 112.8 km (70.1 mi) east of the village of Port-Menier. It's also about 24.8 km (15.4 mi) south of the island's north shore and 30.4 km (18.9 mi) northeast of the island's south shore.
From its source, the Jupiter River flows for 82.4 km (51.2 mi). It drops 188 m (617 ft) in height along its journey.
River's Journey from Source to Mouth
- For the first 13.9 km (8.6 mi), the river flows west. It passes through lakes like Godin, Simard, and Louise. This part of the river forms the border of parc national d'Anticosti.
- Next, it flows 34.9 km (21.7 mi) towards the northwest. It crosses a forest road and picks up water from Smith Lake.
- Then, for 13.1 km (8.1 mi), the river winds southwest. It collects water from the Horse stream.
- Finally, for 20.5 km (12.7 mi), it flows south, then southwest. It gathers water from the Jean-IV stream, Brise-Culotte stream, and Trois Milles stream. Near its end, the river gets wider and forms sandy beaches.
The Jupiter River ends in Bonsecours Bay on the south side of Anticosti Island. This bay is part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The river's mouth is about 80 km (50 mi) east of Port-Menier village. Cape Jupiter and Cape Ottawa mark the edges of Bonsecours Bay.
Jupiter River: A Salmon Fishing Paradise
The Jupiter River is famous worldwide for its salmon fishing. It has 70 salmon pools, and 30 of these are used for sport fishing. People have been coming here to fish since around 1895. The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq) manages the river. They have built cabins and services to welcome tourists and fishermen.
In the 1800s, a French businessman named Henri Menier bought Anticosti Island. He invested in the island to make it a perfect place for salmon fishing. There are main fishing camps along the Jupiter River named Jupiter-Trente, Jupiter-Vingt-Quatre, Jupiter-Douze, and Jupiter-la-Mer. These names show how many miles they are from the Gulf of Saint-Laurent.
The river's water is clear and turquoise, so you can often see the salmon swimming from the surface. The riverbed is mostly made of small stones and pebbles.
According to Saumon Québec, the Jupiter River has about 30% of the best places for Atlantic salmon to reproduce and grow on Anticosti Island. It's also home to nearly 30% of the adult salmon population. Many famous people from around the world have visited to fish for salmon here. Henri Menier, the island's owner, was one of the first to fish here for fun in 1895.
The Story Behind the Name
Old maps from 1758 and 1784 show the area around the river's mouth. They call it "Rivière de Bon Secours" or "R. de bon Secours or Jupiter's inlet." The name "Jupiter" might come from a ship named Jupiter that passed by or was shipwrecked there. Later, the name of the inlet was also used for the river itself.
In 1815, a mapmaker named Joseph Bouchette also called it the Jupiter River on his map. At the river's mouth, there are tall sand cliffs. One of these cliffs, Cape Jupiter, also shares the same name and is sometimes called Sandy Cliff.
The name "Rivière Jupiter" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a naming committee for places in Quebec.
