La Grosse Décharge Ouest facts for kids

La Grosse Décharge Ouest is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows entirely within the town of Baie-Saint-Paul. This river is a branch of the larger Rivière des Mares. It's an important part of the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality's natural landscape.

The valley around the river is mainly used for forestry. This means people grow and cut down trees there. It's also a place for fun activities like tourism. A path called Seminary path runs along the river's south side.

The river's surface usually freezes from early December to early April. It's generally safe to walk on the ice from mid-December to the end of March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons and how much rain falls. The river usually floods a bit in April when the snow melts.

River's Journey

La Grosse Décharge Ouest starts at a small body of water called Côté Lake. This lake is about 0.17 kilometers (0.11 miles) long. It sits high up in the mountains, about 620 meters (2,034 feet) above sea level.

The lake is surrounded by tall mountains. One peak reaches 761 meters (2,497 feet) to the northeast. Another peak is even taller, at 972 meters (3,189 feet) to the southwest.

The start of the river is located:

• About 4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles) north of Lac Croche.
• About 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) northeast of the Sainte-Anne River.
• About 14.7 kilometers (9.1 miles) west of where the Rivière des Mares joins the Rivière du Gouffre.
• About 17.0 kilometers (10.6 miles) west of downtown Baie-Saint-Paul.

From Côté Lake, the river flows for about 7.7 kilometers (4.8 miles). It drops about 279 meters (915 feet) in elevation as it goes.

Here's how the river flows:

• For 1.0 kilometer (0.6 miles), it goes southeast down a deep valley. It meets a small stream coming from the southwest.
• Then, for 1.1 kilometers (0.7 miles), it flows east in another deep valley. It makes a turn here.
• For the next 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles), it continues east in a deep valley. It collects water from two more streams. It also meets La Grosse Décharge Est, another river.
• Finally, for 0.9 kilometers (0.6 miles), it flows northeast in a deep valley until it reaches its end.

Where the River Ends

La Grosse Décharge Ouest flows into the Rivière des Mares in Baie-Saint-Paul. It joins the Mares river on its west bank.

This meeting point is located:

• About 2.0 kilometers (1.2 miles) northeast of a forest road.
• About 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) northwest of the small village of Saint-Placide-Nord.
• About 10.8 kilometers (6.7 miles) west of downtown Baie-Saint-Paul.
• About 12.5 kilometers (7.8 miles) northwest of where the Rivière du Gouffre meets the Saint-Laurent River.

After La Grosse Décharge Ouest joins the Mares river, the water flows for another 11.8 kilometers (7.3 miles) down the Mares river. Then, it travels about 7.8 kilometers (4.8 miles) down the Rivière du Gouffre. The Gouffre river eventually flows into the Saint-Laurent River in Baie-Saint-Paul.

What's in a Name?

The name "La Grosse Décharge Ouest" was first seen on a map in 1955. This map was called "Domaine forestier du Séminaire de Québec."

The name "La Grosse Décharge Ouest" became official on March 25, 1997. This was decided by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is in charge of place names in Quebec.

Related Articles

• Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
• Baie-Saint-Paul, a city
• La Grosse Décharge Est
• Rivière des Mares (Gouffre River tributary)
• Rivière du Gouffre
• St. Lawrence River
• List of rivers of Quebec