Poutrincourt Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Poutrincourt Lake |
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 Poutrincourt Lake
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Le Domaine-du-Roy (RCM) |
| Coordinates | 49°09′19″N 74°05′46″W / 49.15528°N 74.09611°W |
| Type | Natural |
| Primary inflows |
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| Primary outflows | Normandin River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 19.7 kilometres (12.2 mi) |
| Max. width | 6.7 kilometres (4.2 mi) |
| Surface area | 56.45 kilometres (35.08 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 392 metres (1,286 ft) |
Poutrincourt Lake is a large freshwater lake in Quebec, Canada. It's located in the western part of the Le Domaine-du-Roy region, which is in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area. The lake is found near the Ashuapmushuan Wildlife Reserve.
The main activities around Poutrincourt Lake are forestry (cutting down trees for wood) and tourism (people visiting for fun). You can reach the lake by forest roads. A main road, Route 167, passes nearby and connects important towns like Chibougamau and Saint-Félicien, Quebec. The Canadian National Railway also runs along this road.
The lake's surface is usually frozen from early November to mid-May. However, it's generally safe to walk or travel on the ice from mid-November to mid-April.
About Poutrincourt Lake
Poutrincourt Lake is at the far western end of the Le Domaine-du-Roy region. This lake is about 19.7 kilometres (12.2 mi) long and 6.7 kilometres (4.2 mi) wide at its widest point. It sits at an elevation of 392 metres (1,286 ft) above sea level. The lake has a very interesting and complex shape, almost like a puzzle piece! It's actually a wide part of the Normandin River.
The lake has three main sections. The biggest part is in the middle and has many islands. There's also a long bay on the west side, stretching about 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi). On the east side, another bay extends for about 11.3 kilometres (7.0 mi). A long piece of land, called a peninsula, sticks out from the north shore for 6.1 kilometres (3.8 mi), almost separating the east bay from the central part.
The central part of Poutrincourt Lake gets water from the Normandin River on its west side and the Milieu River in the south. The Normandin River flows right through Poutrincourt Lake for about 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi).
Where the Water Flows
The water from Poutrincourt Lake eventually flows into other bodies of water. The lake's outlet (where the water leaves) is located:
- About 14.9 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Nicabau Lake, which the Normandin River also flows through.
- About 24.6 kilometres (15.3 mi) west of where the Normandin River ends.
- About 144 kilometres (89 mi) northwest of the mouth of the Ashuapmushuan River, which flows into Lac Saint-Jean.
From Poutrincourt Lake's outlet, the water travels:
- North for 15.6 kilometres (9.7 mi) to the south bay of Nicabau Lake.
- Then, it flows through the southern part of Nicabau Lake (which is at an altitude of 386 metres (1,266 ft)).
- After Nicabau Lake, the water flows southeast, crossing Ducharme Lake, until it reaches Ashuapmushuan Lake. This lake is the starting point for the Ashuapmushuan River, which then flows into the western side of Lac Saint-Jean.
The Name of the Lake
Over time, Poutrincourt Lake has had many different names! In the past, it was called "Lake Ascatiche," "Lake Ascatscie," "Lake Askatiche," "Lake Askitichi," "Lake Scatsi," or "Lake Skatsi."
These older names, like Ascatiche or Askitichi, came from an Innu expression "oskat assi." This phrase can mean "new earth," "where the wood is green," or "small raw skin," depending on how it's translated.
The name "Poutrincourt" appeared on a map of the Chibougamau region in 1934. This name honors Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt and Saint-Just (1557-1615). He was an important person in the early days of French settlement in Acadia (a region in eastern Canada) in the 1600s.
Poutrincourt spent the winter of 1604-1605 on Sainte-Croix Island, which is on the border between New Brunswick and the US state of Maine. In 1606, he returned to Acadia as a lieutenant governor of the new colony. He visited Port-Royal (an early settlement) several more times, including in 1607, 1610, and 1614.
The name "Lac Poutrincourt" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec's place name commission), right when this commission was created.
