Ouiatchouaniche River facts for kids

The Ouiatchouaniche River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into Lac Saint-Jean. The river passes through the unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan, the town of Sainte-Hedwidge, and the city of Roberval. These areas are all part of the Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

The upper part of the Ouiatchouaniche River valley has many forest roads. Logging is the main activity in the upper and middle parts of the valley. Closer to the mouth, farming is more common, except in the city areas.

The river usually freezes from early December to late March. However, the parts with rapids might not freeze completely. It's generally safe to travel on the ice from mid-December to mid-March.

River's Journey: Where it Starts and Flows

The Ouiatchouaniche River begins at Lake Quentin. This lake is about 0.38 km (0.24 mi) long and sits at an altitude of 387 m (1,270 ft). Lake Quentin gets its water from Couture Lake and another unnamed lake.

The source of the river is located:

• 12.0 km (7.5 mi) west of Lac des Commissaires.
• 40.2 km (25.0 mi) southwest of the center of Chambord.
• 43.3 km (26.9 mi) southwest of where the Ouiatchouaniche River flows into Lac Saint-Jean.

From its start, the Ouiatchouaniche River flows for about 65.7 km (40.8 mi). During its journey, the river drops about 286 m (938 ft) in elevation.

Upper Course: Through the Forest

This part of the river flows for about 22.3 km (13.9 mi) through a forest area.

• It flows north for 7.8 km (4.8 mi), passing through small lakes like Gareau Lake (375 m (1,230 ft) high) and Thomas-James Lake (362 m (1,188 ft) high). It also collects water from Surprise Lake.
• Then, it continues north for 5.5 km (3.4 mi). It picks up water from several lakes, including Lac Sainte-Croix, and crosses one of the Jumeaux lakes.
• For the next 9.0 km (5.6 mi), the river winds northwest, then north. It collects water from many small lakes and streams along the way.

Middle Course: Before the Dam

This section is about 20.1 km (12.5 mi) long and is also in a forest area.

• It flows north for 6.5 km (4.0 mi), winding and collecting water from a lake and a stream.
• It continues north for another 6.5 km (4.0 mi), passing through marshy areas, until it reaches the south shore of Lake Edmond.
• The river then flows north for 7.1 km (4.4 mi), going through Lake Edmond (0.9 km (0.56 mi) long, 303 m (994 ft) high) and Lake Valley (3.8 km (2.4 mi) long, 303 m (994 ft) high). Lake Valley is a wider part of the river surrounded by marshes. This section ends at a dam called "La Little Fall." Lake Valley also receives water from Lac Saint-Pierre.

Middle Course: After the Dam

This part of the river is about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) long and is still in a forest area.

• It flows east for 4.5 km (2.8 mi), going through rapids, then turns north. It collects water from lakes like Lac Creux and forms a hook shape.
• It flows north for 1.2 km (0.75 mi), going through two sets of rapids.
• Finally, it flows east for 1.9 km (1.2 mi), passing south of the village of Sainte-Hedwidge-de-Roberval. It then turns north, flowing through the village and collecting water from Guay stream.

Lower Course: Towards Lac Saint-Jean

This final section is about 15.7 km (9.8 mi) long. It starts in a forest area and then moves into farming areas.

• It flows north for 6.3 km (3.9 mi), making a loop to the west.
• It then flows northeast for 1.8 km (1.1 mi), entering the farming zone and passing through small patches of forest.
• For the last 7.6 km (4.7 mi), it flows east. It goes through some rapids and makes a big curve to the north. It crosses several streets and a railway line before reaching its mouth.

The Ouiatchouaniche River flows into the southwest side of Lac Saint-Jean. This meeting point is on the north side of the city of Roberval.

• It is 6.2 km (3.9 mi) southeast of Pointe-Bleue village.
• It is 15.9 km (9.9 mi) northwest of Chambord village.

From the mouth of the Ouiatchouaniche River, the water travels across Lac Saint-Jean for 34.5 km (21.4 mi) northeast. Then, it follows the Saguenay River for 172.3 km (107.1 mi) east to Tadoussac. At Tadoussac, it joins the Estuary of Saint Lawrence.

How the Land is Used

The southern part of the river's basin is mostly forest. As the river flows north from Sainte-Hedwidge, it passes through areas that mix forests and farms, but are not actively cultivated. The last few kilometers downstream are in farming areas, though they might not be used for crops. The river also flows through two towns: Sainte-Hedwidge and Roberval.

There is one special protected area along the river called the Lac Vallée muskrat habitat, which is about 77 ha (190 acres) in size. The river also forms a boundary for the zec de la Lièvre, which is a controlled harvesting zone for wildlife.

River's Name: A Look at its History

The name "Ouiatchouaniche" comes from the Innu language. It's a smaller version of "Ouiatchouan," which is the name of another river that flows into Lac Saint-Jean, about 9.9 km (6.2 mi) southwest. People in the local area sometimes call this river "Rivière du Tremblay." The second part of "Ouiatchouaniche" sounds a bit like "Ouananiche," which is another river that joins Lac Saint-Jean about 7.9 km (4.9 mi) southwest.

In 1732, an explorer named Joseph-Laurent Normandin wrote in his report about the "Petite rivière 8iatch8anonchiche." This name means "the little river where the current is." Later, in 1823-1824, old records called it "Ouigatshouanish." Other old spellings include Ouiatchouanish, Uiatchganish, and Wiatshunanitsh.

The name "Ouiatchouaniche river" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a place names board in Quebec.