Petit Saguenay River facts for kids

The Petit Saguenay River is a beautiful waterway in Quebec, Canada. It flows through two main areas: Sagard and Petit-Saguenay. This river is special because it's known as a "salmon river," meaning it's a great place for salmon to live and for people to fish for them.

A group called the zec de la Rivière-Petit-Saguenay helps manage the river, especially for salmon fishing. Part of the river is also protected by the Saguenay Fjord National Park. You can reach different parts of the river by roads like Quai Street and Route 170. The main activities around the river are forestry (cutting down trees) and tourism, like fishing and enjoying nature. The river usually freezes over from early December to late March, making it a winter wonderland!

How the River Flows

The Petit Saguenay River is about 88.4 km (54.9 mi) long. It drains a large area of land, called a watershed, which covers about 789.94 km (490.85 mi). This means all the rain and snow that falls in this area eventually flows into the river.

Near David Lake, the river's average flow is about 16 m (52.493 ft) of water per second. The Petit Saguenay River is known for its "white water" sections, which means it has rapids. Its riverbed is made up of pebbles, gravel, and sand.

Where Does the River Go?

The Petit Saguenay River is surrounded by other important rivers and bodies of water.

• To the north, it meets the big Saguenay River.
• To the east, you'll find the rivière de la Baie des Rochers and Saint-Étienne River.
• To the south, there's the Noire River and Deschênes River.
• To the west, you'll find the Rivière du Portage and Saint-Jean River.

The river starts its journey at a place called "Troisième lac des Marais" (Third Marsh Lake). This lake is about 1.9 km (1.2 mi) long and sits high up at an altitude of 608 m (1,995 ft). From there, the Petit Saguenay River flows for about 84.8 km (52.7 mi).

The River's Upper Journey

The first part of the river's journey is about 20.0 km (12.4 mi) long.

• It flows north, picking up water from Pierrot Lake.
• Then it turns northwest, making a curve to the east.
• It crosses Lac au Sable, a lake about 449 m (1,473 ft) high. This lake gets water from Bazile Brook and Sable Creek.
• Next, it flows through Lac au Bouleau (Birch Lake), which is also about 449 m (1,473 ft) high.
• Finally, it goes north and west, crossing Emmuraillé Lake, which is at an altitude of 436 m (1,430 ft).

Middle Part of the River

After Emmuraillé Lake, the river continues for another 18.7 km (11.6 mi).

• It flows north, making a big loop to the east and northeast, and crosses Petit Saguenay Lake.
• It then heads northwest, picking up water from other lakes like Chicot Lake and Onesime Lake.
• The river flows north through a valley, sometimes narrow, and gets water from Ti-Jos Lake.
• It turns east, then north, before making a bend.
• Finally, it flows east, curving south, and meets the Deschênes River.

The River's Central Section

This part of the river is about 19.4 km (12.1 mi) long.

• It flows north through the village of Sagard.
• It continues north, running alongside Route 170 and winding through some marshy areas. It also picks up water from Red Pine Lake.
• It then turns east, making a big "S" shape through more marshland, and gets water from David Lake.
• The river flows north, going through four sets of rapids, until it reaches a bend where water from Lac de l'Oeuf (Egg Lake) joins it.

The River's Lower Journey

The last part of the river is about 26.7 km (16.6 mi) long.

• It flows southwest, then northwest, making a large loop before heading south into a marshy area.
• It continues northwest, collecting water from Cold Water Creek and forming large streams in the marsh. It also meets Dallaire Creek.
• The river flows north through a swampy area, picking up water from Tom Lake.
• It then heads northwest, moving about 1.0 km (0.62 mi) west of Route 170, until it meets the Portage River.
• It flows north through a steep valley to a river bend.
• Finally, it heads northwest, curving southeast and running along the southwest side of Highway 170, right into the village of Petit-Saguenay.
• The last 2.8 km (1.7 mi) of the river flows straight northwest to its mouth.

The Petit Saguenay River ends its journey by flowing into a narrow bay on the south shore of the big Saguenay River. This bay is partly closed off by a wall, which helps protect boats from strong winds. This meeting point is:

• About 7.9 km (4.9 mi) northeast of L'Anse-Saint-Jean.
• About 2.4 km (1.5 mi) northwest of the village of Petit-Saguenay.
• About 30.1 km (18.7 mi) west of Tadoussac.

River History

The name "Petit Saguenay River" was first mentioned way back in 1824 by James McKenzie. People started settling in this area in the late 1830s. In 1842, a sawmill was built near the river's mouth. William Price (1789-1867) bought it in 1844 and made it a center for his business. Sadly, because of the sawmills and too much fishing, salmon in the river became harder to find.

In 1870, Mr. Price's sawmill burned down. This led people to move further upstream, which is where the village of Petit-Saguenay is located today.

Fishing for Salmon

For a long time, the right to fish for salmon in the Petit Saguenay River belonged to important people like William Price. Later, wealthy English speakers and then clubs and associations took over these rights. In the 1950s, a group of Americans bought land upstream of the village and built special lodges for fishing. This place is now known as the "Petit-Saguenay River Site."

Since 1999, the area has been set up as a controlled harvesting zone (zec). The "Petit-Saguenay River Association" has been managing salmon sport fishing since 1966. This group is well-known for its efforts to protect salmon, and they even helped create the Atlantic Salmon Protective Charter.

About 13 km (8.1 mi) of the river is open for salmon fishing, including a part of the Portage River, which flows into the Petit Saguenay. There are 24 special spots, called "pits," for salmon fishing. Some areas are open to everyone, while others have limited access.

What's in a Name?

The name "Petit Saguenay River" was first recorded in 1824 by James McKenzie. He mentioned it when talking about the "Little River named Petit Saguenay on which we also take salmon." Later, in 1893, a surveyor named William Tremblay also used the name "Petit Saguenay River" in his report.

In Quebec, it's common to find names like "Petit Saguenay River" (Little Saguenay River) that are smaller versions of a main river, like the "Saguenay River."

The name "Petit Saguenay River" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a naming committee for places in Quebec.

Related Articles

• Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality
• Petit-Saguenay, a municipality
• Portage River
• Cabanage River
• Deschênes River
• Sagard, an unorganized territory
• Zec de la Rivière-Petit-Saguenay, a controlled harvesting zone
• Zec de l'Anse-Saint-Jean, a controlled harvesting zone
• Saguenay Fjord National Park
• List of rivers of Quebec