Pasteur River (Quebec) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pasteur River
Native name	Rivière Pasteur
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Admin. region	Côte-Nord
RCM	Sept-Rivières
Unorg. Territory	Lac-Walker
Physical characteristics
Main source	Lake Tommy 50°39′52″N 66°47′42″W / 50.664444°N 66.795°W / 50.664444; -66.795
River mouth	Aux Rochers River 50°05′28″N 66°58′25″W / 50.0911111°N 66.9736111°W / 50.0911111; -66.9736111
Basin features
River system	Aux Rochers River
Tributaries	Left: Asquiche EFJIR Right: McGraw EHFCA Chaudière EFWOB Mouscoutchou EHIPZ Brûlée EFRMO
NRC id	EHODE

The Pasteur River (which is called Rivière Pasteur in French) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows north of the lower Saint Lawrence River. This river is a branch, or tributary, of the Aux Rochers River. It is found in the Lac-Walker area of Côte-Nord. A big part of the river flows through a special area called the proposed Lake Walker National Park. The lower part of the river even includes a long lake, Lake Pasteur, which is about 21 kilometres (13 mi) long.

Where is the Pasteur River Located?

The Pasteur River is in the Lac-Walker region, which is part of Sept-Rivières in Côte-Nord, Quebec. The name "Pasteur River" became official on December 5, 1968. The river flows through the eastern part of a large area called the Abbadie canton. This area was created in 1965 but is not lived in.

The Pasteur River collects water from several lakes. These include Lake Gagné, Lake Chassé, and Lake Mouscoutchou. Water from these lakes flows into the Pasteur River through the Mouscoutchou River. Lake Asquiche, surrounded by smaller water bodies, also feeds the Pasteur River through the Asquiche River.

The Pasteur River's Water System

The Pasteur River is one of the most important rivers that flows into the Aux Rochers River. Other main rivers that join the Aux Rochers River are the MacDonald, Gravel, and Schmon.

The Pasteur River starts northeast of Lake Estakian. It gets water from Lake Tommy, Lake Dionne, and Lake Catista. The river then flows through Lake Estakian. After that, it continues southwest and then south. More water joins it from Lake Maroney, Lake Larouche, and Lake Asquiche.

The upper part of the river has many bends and old river paths. There is also a waterfall called Chute Tibasse. This waterfall empties into the Asquiche River, which is a branch of the Pasteur River.

Lakes in the River System

Lakes Gagné, Chassé, and Mouscoutchou are located northeast of Lake Walker. They are all connected by a winding waterway within the Pasteur River's basin. These lakes are about 750 metres (2,460 ft) wide on average.

These lakes were shaped by huge sheets of ice called glaciers. As the glaciers melted, they carved out paths for the water. There are no sediments on some low hills nearby. This tells us that the waters of the ancient Goldthwait Sea did not reach these lakes. The area around Lake Mouscoutchou connects to the Pasteur River valley with a steep drop of 80 metres (260 ft). This creates a series of waterfalls into the valley.

The Pasteur River flows into the northern end of Lake Pasteur. This lake also gets water from Lac à la Cache, which is to its east. Lake Pasteur is about 21 kilometres (13 mi) long and less than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) wide. Its total area is about 18.8 square kilometres (7.3 sq mi).

Just west of Lake Pasteur, there are several lakes lined up from northeast to southwest. The biggest ones are Lake Chevarie (about 157 hectares (390 acres)) and Lake à la Truite (about 127 hectares (310 acres)). Lake Carré, in the south of this group, can be reached by a walking path. All these lakes would be part of the proposed Lake Walker National Park. These lakes are about 175 metres (574 ft) lower than the land around them. This lower area likely helped meltwater from the Laurentide Ice Sheet flow into the Pasteur River valley long ago.

The river continues for a short distance from the south end of Lake Pasteur. It then joins the Aux Rochers River.

Nature and Environment Around the River

The Pasteur River starts and flows south through a forest area. This area is known for spruce trees and moss. It is part of the boreal zone, which is a large forest region. The last part of the river, from Lake Pasteur to the Aux Rochers River, flows through a different forest area. This section has fir trees and white birch trees, also part of the boreal zone.

Protecting the Pasteur River

The winding part of the river north of Lake Pasteur, and all of Lake Pasteur itself, are planned to be part of the Lake Walker National Park. This park aims to protect the natural environment.

A special area called the Lake Pasteur Biodiversity Reserve was suggested in 2003. This reserve would help protect the plants and animals there. It would include all of Lake Pasteur and most of Lake Walker. The Pasteur Lake biodiversity reserve is inside the Port-Cartier–Sept-Îles Wildlife Reserve. In 2005, people were cutting down trees in the northern part of this area.

In 2005, a group called the Conseil régional de l’environnement de la Côte-Nord suggested ways to better manage the resources in the Pasteur River area. They wanted to include people from the forestry, mining, and energy industries. This would help make sure everyone works together to protect the river and its surroundings.

Important Lakes in the Pasteur River Area

Here are some of the lakes found in the Pasteur River's watershed (the area of land that drains into the river):