Madawaska River (Saint John River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Madawaska River |
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Madawaska River in Degelis, Quebec, in winter
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| Country | Canada |
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lake Témiscouata, Dégelis, Quebec, Temiscouata Regional County Municipality, Quebec 141 metres (463 ft) 47°34′14″N 68°38′33″W / 47.57056°N 68.64250°W |
| River mouth | Edmundston, New Brunswick 135 metres (443 ft) 47°21′38″N 68°19′24″W / 47.36056°N 68.32333°W |
| Length | 39.8 kilometres (24.7 mi) |
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The Madawaska River is a river in Canada. It starts from Lake Témiscouata in Quebec. The river then flows through Degelis, Quebec. Finally, it joins the Saint John River in Edmundston, New Brunswick.
You can easily reach the Madawaska River. In Quebec, you can use Route 185. In New Brunswick, Highway 2 runs along the river. Both roads follow the river's path.
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What Does "Madawaska" Mean?
The name "Madawaska" has a few possible meanings. One idea is that it comes from an Algonquian word. This word, "Madoueskak," means "land of the porcupine."
Another theory comes from the Maliseet people. In their language, "Matawaskiyak" means "at the place where water flows out over grass." Some also think it means "where two rivers meet and there is grass."
The Madawaska River collects water from Lake Témiscouata and other northern waterways. Long ago, before Edmundston changed the river's path, spring floods would create many waterfalls.
A River's History: Travel and Trade
The Madawaska River was once part of an important travel route. This route was called the Témiscouata Portage. It was a path used for canoes and walking. People used it to travel from the Bay of Fundy to the Saint Lawrence River. This route has been used since the late 1600s.
A road was built along this route in 1862. Today, this road is Route 185. It is also part of the Trans-Canada Highway. Later, in 1886, the Témiscouata Railway was built along the same path.
In the early 1900s, people used the river for floating timber and logs. These logs were sent down the river to New Brunswick.
Today, you can enjoy the Petit Témis Interprovincial Linear Park. This park is a rail trail. It runs from Edmundston, NB to Cabano, QC. It follows the old CN tracks. These tracks were originally built by the Temiscouata Railway.
The name "Madawaska River" became official on December 8, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec Geographical Names Board).
Where Does the Madawaska River Flow?
The Madawaska River begins at Lake Témiscouata. Its starting point is about 141 metres (463 ft) above sea level. The river flows in a winding path, mostly towards the southeast.
It flows through Dégelis, Quebec in Quebec. Then, it enters New Brunswick. There, it passes through Saint-Jacques Parish and Edmundston. The river ends by joining the Saint John River. This happens in downtown Edmundston. It faces the American town of Madawaska.
The Madawaska River is about 39.8 kilometres (24.7 mi) long. It generally flows towards the southeast.
River's Path in Quebec
The first part of the river is in Quebec. This section is about 18.4 kilometres (11.4 mi) long.
- It starts at the dam of Lake Témiscouata.
- It flows 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) south in a big S-shape. It passes east of "Mont Sainte-Anne." It reaches the bridge on 7th Street in Dégelis.
- Then, it flows 5.1 kilometres (3.2 mi) southeast. It goes around Beaupré Island. It also passes southwest of a mountain. It then meets the Birches River (Madawaska River) coming from the north.
- Next, it flows 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) southeast. It makes a detour to the north. It collects water from Griffin Creek, which comes from the southwest. It then meets the Languedoc creek from the north.
- Finally, it flows 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) southeast. It passes northeast of the Edmundston airport. This section ends at the border between Quebec and New Brunswick. There's a marsh area on the west side of the river for about 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) here.
River's Path in New Brunswick
The lower part of the river is in New Brunswick. This section is about 21.4 kilometres (13.3 mi) long.
- From the Quebec-New Brunswick border, it flows 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) southeast. It reaches Island Brook, which comes from the northeast.
- It then flows 9.4 kilometres (5.8 mi) southeast. It goes around four islands. It reaches the bridge in the village of Saint-Jacques Parish.
- It continues 6.1 kilometres (3.8 mi) southeast. It flows through Saint-Jacques Parish. It passes under the Canadian National Railway bridge.
- The river flows its last 4.2 kilometres (2.6 mi) southeast. It passes under a road bridge before joining the Saint John River.
Dams on the River
Lake Témiscouata Dam
The Madawaska River actually starts at the base of the Lake Témiscouata dam. This dam was built in 1930. It was built by the "St. John River Storage Company." Later, Hydro-Québec took it over in 1963. The dam was completely rebuilt between 1993 and 1994.
Building this dam raised the lake's water level. It went up about sixty centimeters. This allows the dam to store an extra 125,000,000 metres (410,104,986.877 ft) of water from Lake Témiscouata. This is less than 6% of the lake's natural water volume. Because the lake level was raised, there are fewer natural beaches. This limits some fun activities on the lake.
Edmundston Dam
There is also a dam located in Edmundston.
Fraser Dam
Another dam on the river is called the Fraser Dam.
