Kamouraska River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kamouraska River |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
|
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Bas-Saint-Laurent |
| MRC | Kamouraska Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Forest and agricultural streams Saint-Gabriel-Lalemant 193 metres (633 ft) 47°22′21″N 69°53′13″W / 47.372389°N 69.886973°W |
| River mouth | St. Lawrence River Kamouraska 3 metres (9.8 ft) 47°34′46″N 69°51′23″W / 47.57944°N 69.85638°W |
| Length | 42.4 kilometres (26.3 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
|
The Kamouraska River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the St. Lawrence River near the village of Kamouraska. This river is an important part of the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.
Where the River Flows
The Kamouraska River starts in Saint-Gabriel-Lalemant. Its starting point is about 193 metres (633 ft) above sea level. From there, it flows for about 42.4 kilometres (26.3 mi) until it reaches the St. Lawrence River. Along its journey, the river drops about 190 metres (620 ft) in height.
The river flows through several towns and areas:
- Saint-Gabriel-Lalemant
- Mont-Carmel
- Saint-Bruno-de-Kamouraska
- Saint-Pascal
- Kamouraska
The river's basin, which is the area of land where all the water drains into the river, covers almost 300 kilometres (186.41 mi). This area includes smaller rivers like the Dufour River, Saint-Denis River, and Tar River.
The Story Behind the Name
The name "Kamouraska River" has a long history. It was first written down in a document from 1674. Since then, you can find the name in many old papers and maps. About 30 other places in Quebec also use the name Kamouraska.
The exact meaning of "Kamouraska" is a bit of a mystery. It's a Native American word, and there are a couple of ideas about what it means:
- Some think it comes from an Algonquin word, akamaraska, which means "where there are rushes at the edge of the water." Rushes are tall, grass-like plants that grow in wet places.
- Others believe it comes from the Mi'kmaq language. In Mi'kmaq, kamoo means "extended," and askaw means "hay or rush."
Over time, people have used other names for the Kamouraska River. For example, on some old maps, it was called "Pearl River." This name came about in the 1920s because there used to be pearl mussels living in the river. Some parts of the river's smaller branches were also called "Le Petit Bras" (The Small Arm) or "Rivière du Petit Bras." This was because the Saint-Denis River, which joins the Kamouraska, was known as "Le Grand Bras" (The Big Arm).
The official name, "Kamouraska River," was confirmed on March 7, 2006, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a special committee that names places in Quebec.
