Noire River (Sainte-Anne River tributary) facts for kids

The Noire River (which means "Black River" in French) flows through a beautiful part of Quebec, Canada. It runs through the towns of Rivière-à-Pierre, Saint-Alban, and Saint-Casimir. These towns are all located in the Portneuf Regional County Municipality.

The main activities in this area are forestry (cutting down trees for wood) and farming. Many people also visit for fun outdoor activities like camping and hiking.

During winter, the Noire River usually freezes over. This happens from early December until late March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from late December to early March.

Journey of the Noire River

The Noire River starts its journey at a lake called Lac Grandbois. This lake is about 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) long and sits 301 metres (988 ft) above sea level. It's located just east of the village of Rivière-à-Pierre.

The Noire River is about 63 kilometres (39 mi) long. Its watershed (the area of land where all the water drains into the river) covers 568.38 square kilometres (219.45 sq mi). This makes it the second largest watershed feeding into the Sainte-Anne River. The river drops about 6.3 metres (21 ft) for every kilometer it flows. Some parts of the river drop even more steeply, especially after Lac Long.

River's Path in Rivière-à-Pierre

From Lac Grandbois, the Noire River flows south through a forested area. Along the way, it passes through Lac du Sauvage and Lac à la Montre. It also collects water from the Giguère stream and flows into Montauban Lake.

The river then flows through a large lake called "Lac Long" (Long Lake). This lake is part of the Portneuf Regional Natural Park. Lac Long is about 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) long and 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) wide at its widest point. A 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) long narrow section south of Lac Long ends at a dam. This dam marks the official start of the Noire River's main flow.

Flowing Through Saint-Alban and Saint-Casimir

The river first flows southeast through forest lands. It then turns east, and later southeast again. As it gets closer to towns, it flows south and then southwest through farm fields.

The Noire River passes north of the village of Saint-Alban. It flows parallel to the Sainte-Anne River in this area. Finally, the river enters Saint-Casimir. Here, it turns south and receives water from the Blanche River. The Noire River then empties into the Sainte-Anne River, just above the village of Saint-Casimir.

Important Lakes in the Basin

The Noire River's watershed includes several important lakes. The three largest are:

• Montauban Lake (covering 394 hectares (970 acres))
• Long Lake (covering 276 hectares (680 acres))
• Blanc Lake (covering 206 hectares (510 acres))

There are also other lakes larger than one square kilometer, such as:

• Clair Lake (179 hectares (440 acres))
• Carillon Lake (199 hectares (490 acres))
• Émeraude Lake (101 hectares (250 acres))

How Land is Used Around the River

Most of the land around the Noire River is covered by forests. However, the part of the river closer to its mouth flows through farmland.

There are three large dams along the river. These dams are located at the exits of Lac Long, Lac Clair, and Lac à la Montre.

A part of the river, especially around Lac Long and Montauban, is within the Portneuf Regional Natural Park. This park also includes parts of Lac Carillon, and the lakes Sept Îles, Coeur, and Anguille. Visitors to the park can enjoy many activities like canoeing, kayaking, camping, hiking, and climbing.

Why is it Called "Noire River"?

The name "Noire River" means "Black River" in French. The Commission de toponymie du Québec (which is like a geographical names board for Quebec) lists 86 different "Rivière Noire" names in the province! Many other places also have "Noir" (Black) in their names.

The specific name "rivière Noire" for this river in Portneuf was officially recorded on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.