Méchant Pouce River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Méchant Pouce River |
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Chaudière-Appalaches |
| MRC | Montmagny Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Mountainous area of Côte-du-Sud Saint-Marcel 442 metres (1,450 ft) 46°53′24″N 70°10′45″W / 46.890009°N 70.179173°W |
| River mouth | rivière du Sud (Montmagny) Sainte-Apolline-de-Patton 361 metres (1,184 ft) 46°54′58″N 70°15′11″W / 46.91611°N 70.25305°W |
| Length | 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Bras Saint-Nicolas, rivière du Sud (Montmagny), St. Lawrence River |
| Tributaries |
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The Méchant Pouce River (which means Bad Thumb River in English) is a small river in Quebec, Canada. It flows through the towns of Saint-Marcel and Sainte-Apolline-de-Patton. This river is part of a larger water system that eventually reaches the mighty St. Lawrence River.
The Méchant Pouce River joins with the Bras Saint-Nicolas river. The Bras Saint-Nicolas then flows into the rivière du Sud (Montmagny), which finally empties into the St. Lawrence River.
Contents
Where the River Flows
The Méchant Pouce River is surrounded by other important water areas. These are like neighborhoods for water, called watersheds.
- North: The Bras Saint-Nicolas river.
- East: The Bras d'Apic river, which comes from Lac des Roches.
- South: The Fortin stream.
- West: The Cloutier River and another part of the Fortin stream.
The River's Beginning
The Méchant Pouce River starts from small mountain streams. These streams are found in the Notre Dame Mountains. The river's source is north-west of a lake called Violon Lake, which is about 426 metres (1,398 ft) high.
Violon Lake is located between the areas of Saint-Marcel and Sainte-Apolline-de-Patton. However, the water from Violon Lake actually flows into a different river system, the Rocheuse River.
The River's Journey
From where it begins, the Méchant Pouce River flows for about 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi). Here's how its journey unfolds:
- It flows west for 0.3 kilometres (0.19 mi) within Saint-Marcel.
- Then, it turns north-west and flows for 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) towards the northern edge of the Patton area.
- Next, it continues north-west for 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi), passing through marshy areas.
- Finally, it flows another 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) north-west until it meets the Bras Saint-Nicolas river.
The Méchant Pouce River joins the Bras Saint-Nicolas on its south bank. This meeting point is in a small community called L'Espérance.
Why the Name "Méchant Pouce"?
The name "Rivière Méchant Pouce" means "Bad Thumb River." It's a very unusual name for a river! This name first appeared on a map of the Bourdages area in 1876.
The official name, Rivière Méchant Pouce, was confirmed on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec. This commission is in charge of naming places in Quebec.
