Napetipi River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Napetipi River |
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| Native name | Napetipiu Hipu |
| Other name(s) | Rivière Napetipi |
| 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) 51°20′19″N 58°07′52″W / 51.3386111°N 58.1311111°W |
| Length | 121 kilometres (75 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 1,262 square kilometres (487 sq mi) |
The Napetipi River (also known as Rivière Napetipi in French) is a special river in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. It's famous for its salmon and flows into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
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Where is the Napetipi River Located?
The Napetipi River is about 121 kilometres (75 mi) long. A small part of it, about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi), is actually in Labrador. The river starts high up, around 390 metres (1,280 ft) above sea level. It flows downhill quickly at first, dropping almost 320 metres (1,050 ft) in its first 40 kilometres (25 mi). After that, it becomes much flatter. For the last 80 kilometres (50 mi), it only drops about 60 metres (200 ft).
Most of the river flows between tall, rocky banks. As it gets closer to the sea, it widens to form two lakes: Lake Jamyn (also called Napetipiu Nipi) and Lake Napetipi. These lakes are about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from where the river meets the ocean.
The river's mouth is in a town called Saint-Augustin. This area is part of the Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality. The river empties into a narrow area called Napetipi Bay. This bay stretches inland for about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) and is also surrounded by high, rocky shores.
What Does the Name Napetipi Mean?
The name Napetipi comes from the Innu language. It means "river of man." Some people believe that the Saint-Jacques River, which explorer Jacques Cartier wrote about in 1534, was actually the Napetipi River and its bay. In 1890, a surveyor named Henry Robertson noted that there were "many seals in Napetipi Lake."
What is the Napetipi River Like?
An old book from 1914, called Dictionnaire des rivières et lacs de la province de Québec, describes the Napetipi River. It says the river is in Canadian Labrador, between the Saint Augustin River and the Eskimo River. It starts in a lake and flows into the sea through some rapids. The book also mentions that it's a great place to catch trout and salmon.
The area around the river was described as "almost sterile" by surveyor H.H. Robertson in 1890. There is some wood along the shores, but the trees are small. Jacques Cartier, the famous explorer, named the river Fleuve Saint-Jacques and caught many salmon there during his first trip.
Understanding the River's Basin
The Napetipi River basin is the entire area of land that drains water into the river. It covers a large space of 1,262 square kilometres (487 sq mi). This basin is located between two other river basins: the Chécatica River to the west and the Saint-Paul River to the east. A small part of the Napetipi basin, about 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi), is in Labrador.
The land in the watershed is generally high, with an average elevation of 233 metres (764 ft). In the northern parts, it rises to over 300 metres (980 ft), and the highest point is 502 metres (1,647 ft). The part of the basin in Quebec is located in the unorganized territory of Petit-Mécatina and also in the towns of Saint-Augustin and Bonne-Espérance.
What is the Environment Like?
The Napetipi River flows through different ecological regions of Quebec. Most of the land in the watershed, about 85.4%, is covered by forests. About 8.3% of the area is water, and 1.2% is wetlands.
The average temperature in the area is around 1.1 to 1.2 degrees Celsius. In January, the coldest month, temperatures are about -13.4 to -12.8 degrees Celsius. In July, the warmest month, temperatures are around 13.9 to 14.1 degrees Celsius. The area gets a good amount of rain and snow each year, between 1,098.4 to 1,122.4 millimetres (43.24 to 44.19 in).
Part of the river basin is included in a proposed area called the Basses Collines du Lac Guernesé Biodiversity Reserve. This special reserve would help protect that part of the river from being used for things like hydroelectric power plants.
The river basin is home to many interesting animals. You might find mammals like black bears, moose, wolfes, American mink, and red foxes living there.
Fishing in the Napetipi River
The Napetipi River is well-known as an excellent place for Atlantic salmon fishing. The water is cool, and the salmon here are known to be very strong and active! Besides salmon, you can also find anadromous brook trout and brown trout. Anadromous fish are those that live in saltwater but travel to freshwater to lay their eggs.
A company called Napetipi River Outfitters has special rights to guide fishing trips on the river. They are located near Lake Pareme, which is northwest of Lake Napetipi. They suggest that all fish caught should be released back into the river.
In 2018, the river had more salmon than expected. Because of this, the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks announced that anglers (people who fish) could keep one large salmon (63 centimetres (25 in) or longer) during August. This rule applied to the Napetipi River and a few other rivers like the Gros Mécatina and Saint-Paul rivers.
