Nepisiguit River facts for kids
The Nepisiguit River is a big river in northern New Brunswick, Canada. It flows into the sea at the city of Bathurst. This is on the Bay of Chaleur. The river's name comes from the Micmac language. It means "the river that dashes roughly along." This describes how fast the water moves!
Exploring the Nepisiguit River
The Nepisiguit River starts way up north. It begins in a wild area near the Christmas Mountains. This is between Mount Carleton and Big Bald Mountain. As the river flows, it goes over several waterfalls. Some of these are Indian Falls, Nepisiguit Falls, and Pabineau Falls.
A huge forest surrounds the river. Many people from New Brunswick like to set up camps here. There are also lodges along the river, like Governors Lodge and Rogers Lake Lodge. People visit these places for fun outdoor activities. They enjoy hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling along the river.
The Nepisiguit River is famous for its fishing. You can catch Atlantic Salmon and trout here. Hunting is also popular because many animals live in this area. You might find moose, deer, ruffed grouse, and spruce grouse.
In winter, the Nepisiguit River area has amazing snowmobiling trails. People from all over New Brunswick and Canada come to ride their snowmobiles. It's a great place to join the snowmobiling community.
A long hiking trail follows much of the river. It's called the Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail. This trail opened in 2018. It follows an old path and portage route that people used long ago.
River's Past: Important Moments
Long ago, a person named William Francis Ganong said the Nepisiguit was the best river for fishing and hunting.
Around 1920, people started using Nepisiguit Falls to make electricity. This is called hydroelectric power.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were very few fish in the river. This was mainly because of pollution from rain and nearby mines.
To help the fish, the Nepisiguit Salmon Association (NSA) was formed in 1976. They worked to get the government to help the river.
In 1981, the NSA teamed up with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. They started a yearly program to put salmon back into the river. By 1988, there were 5,000 salmon in the river. Before the program, there were only hundreds. From 1981 to 1993, they raised over $1.5 million to help. By the 2000s, volunteers in the program won big awards.
Helping the Salmon: Life Cycle and Reproduction
Before 2017, volunteers put 100,000 tiny salmon fry into the river each year. This was part of the restocking program. Every September, volunteers choose the biggest salmon. These "broodstock" salmon go to the Charlo hatchery. There, their eggs are collected and fertilized.
After the eggs hatch, the tiny fish are called alevins. They are placed in special incubation boxes. These boxes are both above and below Nepisiguit Falls. Once the alevins grow into the "fry" stage, they are released into the river. This helps the salmon population grow stronger.
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Headwaters of the Nepisiguit River: Nepisiguit Lakes in Mount Carleton Provincial Park
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Indian Falls on the Nepisiguit River, east of Popple Depot
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Pabineau Falls on the Nepisiguit River near Bathurst
