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Lac Saint-Jean
Lac St-Jean 71.94640W 48.69243N.jpg
Lac Saint-Jean is located in Quebec
Lac Saint-Jean
Lac Saint-Jean
Location in Quebec
Location Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, Quebec
Coordinates 48°35′40″N 72°01′48″W / 48.59444°N 72.03000°W / 48.59444; -72.03000
Type impact crater lake
Native name (Piekuakami) Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help)
Primary inflows Ashuapmushuan, Mistassini, Peribonka, Des Aulnaies, Métabetchouan, Ouiatchouane
Primary outflows Saguenay River
Catchment area 71,947 km2 (27,779 sq mi)
Basin countries Canada
Max. length 43.8 km (27.2 mi)
Max. width 24 km (15 mi)
Surface area 1,053 km2 (407 sq mi)
Average depth 11.4 m (37 ft)
Max. depth 63.1 m (207 ft)
Water volume 11.9 km3 (2.9 cu mi)
Surface elevation 99.6 m (327 ft)
Lac Saint-Jean
Lac Saint-Jean from Saint-Gédéon

Lac Saint-Jean is a large, somewhat shallow lake in Quebec, Canada. It is located in the Laurentian Highlands area. The lake is about 206 kilometers north of the Saint Lawrence River. Its water flows into the Saint Lawrence River through the Saguenay River.

Lac Saint-Jean covers an area of 1,053 square kilometers. At its deepest point, it is about 63.1 meters deep. The Innu people, who are Indigenous to the area, call the lake Piekuakami.

Understanding Lac Saint-Jean

Rivers and Towns Around the Lake

Many smaller rivers flow into Lac Saint-Jean. These include the Ashuapmushuan, the Mistassini, and the Peribonka. Other rivers are the Des Aulnaies, the Métabetchouane, and the Ouiatchouane.

Several towns are located along the shores of the lake. Some of these towns are Alma, Dolbeau-Mistassini, Roberval, Normandin, and Saint-Félicien. Three local government areas, called Regional County Municipalities, also border the lake. They are Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, Le Domaine-du-Roy, and Maria-Chapdelaine.

History and Naming of the Lake

The Innu people were the first to live in the area around the lake. They named it Piekuakami. The lake received its French name after Jean de Quen. He was a Jesuit missionary. In 1647, he became the first European to reach the lake's shores.

Industries and Economy

For a long time, the fur trade was the main business around Lac Saint-Jean. This lasted until the 1800s. People started settling in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region in the early 1800s. This settlement continued strongly until the early 1900s.

The main industries were forestry (cutting down trees) and agriculture (farming). In the 1900s, new industries became important. These included pulp and paper mills and aluminum factories. These industries grew because of hydroelectric dams. These dams were built at Alma and on the Péribonka River.

Today, Lac Saint-Jean is also a popular place for summer vacations. Many people enjoy visiting the lake for fun and for sport-fishing.

Lac Saint-Jean in Literature

The area around Lac Saint-Jean is featured in a famous French novel. The book is called Maria Chapdelaine. It was written by Louis Hémon and published in 1914. This classic story has been translated into twenty different languages.

During World War II

In the 1940s, during World War II, Lac Saint-Jean was home to special camps. These camps held people who were detained during the war. They were similar to other camps in Canada, like those in Saguenay and Saint Helen's Island.

By 1942, there were two such camps in this region. They held at least 50 people. Those held in the camps worked on the land. They helped with lumbering and making pulp and paper.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lago Saint-Jean para niños

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