Musquanousse River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Musquanousse River |
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| Other name(s) | Rivière Musquanousse |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Côte-Nord |
| RCM | Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Gulf of Saint Lawrence 0 metres (0 ft) 50°12′40″N 60°57′46″W / 50.2111111°N 60.9627778°W |
| Length | 28 kilometres (17 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 338 square kilometres (131 sq mi) |
The Musquanousse River (also known as Rivière Musquanousse in French) is a cool river in Quebec, Canada. It's famous for its salmon! This river flows south and eventually empties into the huge Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
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Where is the Musquanousse River?
The Musquanousse River is about 28 kilometers (17 miles) long. It starts as a small stream that drains from Lake Musquanousse. This lake is quite big, about 19 km (12 miles) long and 4.7 km (2.9 miles) wide.
The river then winds its way through several other lakes. These include Lake Marie-Claire, Lake Des Outardes, and Lake Missu. After these lakes, it flows for about 20 km (12 miles) more until it reaches the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Near its end, the river drops down through waterfalls and many fast-moving sections called rapids. It then flows into a wide, T-shaped bay. This bay connects to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence through a narrow passage. The river's mouth is about 10 km (6 miles) east of the Musquaro River. It is located in the area of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent.
What's in a Name?
The name "Musquanousse" has an interesting meaning. It means "little river of the black bear tail." This name was first written down in 1694 by Louis Jolliet, a famous explorer. He called it Mascoüarouchis.
Later, in 1899, a surveyor named J. B. A. Gould officially gave the lake and river this name. Sometimes, people also call it the "Little Musquaro River" because it's near the bigger Musquaro River.
Exploring the River and Its Surroundings
The Musquanousse River flows between rocky mountains. It's the first river you find after the Musquaro River if you're traveling along the coast. You can paddle a canoe for about 8 kilometers (5 miles) on the river. After that, it becomes a series of waterfalls, rapids, and small lakes, making it harder to navigate.
The area around the river is a great place for wildlife. You won't see many trees right on the riverbanks. However, the whole region is known for good hunting. The river itself is home to animals like otters, ducks, plovers, and snipes. If you look at the bottom of the waterfalls, you might even spot many trout!
The River's Basin and Wildlife
The area that drains into the Musquanousse River is called its basin. This basin covers about 338 square kilometers (130 square miles). It sits between the basins of the Musquaro River to the west and the Washicoutai River to the east.
This region is a mountainous landscape. It's part of Quebec's east spruce/moss ecological area. Many different animals live here. You might see large animals like Moose, bear, and wolf. Birds like the majestic bald eagle, bustards, and ducks also make their homes here.
Fishing for Salmon and Trout
The Musquanousse River is well-known as a great place to fish for Atlantic salmon. This includes lakes Marie-Claire, Missu, Musquanousse, and Des Outardes, which are all part of the river system.
From 2013 to 2017, about 24 salmon were caught here each year. The six lakes that the river flows through are important for fish. They make the river's effective length for fish much longer, from 28 km (17 miles) to about 60 km (37 miles)!
Both Atlantic salmon and brook trout live in the river. Some of these fish are anadromous, meaning they travel from the ocean up the river to lay their eggs. Others are landlocked, meaning they live in the freshwater lakes all their lives.
A company called Pourvoirie Musquanousse offers special services for fishing. They have exclusive rights to the entire river and its chain of lakes, including where the river meets the ocean. There are nine special spots, called pools, where you can fish for salmon by wading in the water or from a boat.
