Rivière à Idas facts for kids

The Idas River (rivière à Idas in French) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Bras du Nord-Ouest. The entire river is located within the town of Baie-Saint-Paul. This town is part of the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality.

The area around the Idas River is mostly covered by forests. A forest road runs along the river's right bank. Another road, called chemin du rang de Saint-Placide Sud, also serves the valley. The main activity here is forestry, which means cutting down trees for wood. Tourism, like hiking or enjoying nature, is also popular.

The Idas River usually freezes over in early December. It stays frozen until early April. However, it's safest to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to late March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons. It gets higher in April due to the spring melt.

Journey of the Idas River

The Idas River starts at Idas Lake. This lake is about 0.7 kilometres (0.43 mi) long and sits at an altitude of 884 metres (2,900 ft). The lake's outlet is on its eastern side.

Where the River Begins

The source of the Idas River is:

• 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) west of a mountain peak that is 982 metres (3,222 ft) high.
• 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) southeast of Montagne du Lac à Ange, which is 1,091 metres (3,579 ft) high.
• 5.1 kilometres (3.2 mi) northeast of a bend in the Sainte-Anne River.
• 10.8 kilometres (6.7 mi) northwest of the village of Saint-Cassien-des-Caps. This village is located along Route 138.
• 16.2 kilometres (10.1 mi) west of the St. Lawrence River shore.
• 19.0 kilometres (11.8 mi) south of where the Bras du Nord-Ouest meets the Rivière du Gouffre. This is near downtown Baie-Saint-Paul.

River's Path Downstream

From Idas Lake, the river flows for 8.4 kilometres (5.2 mi). It drops about 482 metres (1,581 ft) in elevation. Here's how it flows:

• For 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi), it flows northeast. It then crosses the southwest part of Lac Gonzague.
• It crosses Lac Gonzague for 0.25 kilometres (0.16 mi) to its outlet. Lac Gonzague is 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) long and 791 metres (2,595 ft) high.
• For 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi), it flows southeast through a deep valley. It makes a loop to the south to go around a mountain. Along this part, a small lake drains into it from the north.
• For the last 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi), it flows east. The valley becomes less steep. It winds a bit and crosses the path of Rang de Saint-Placide Sud.

Where the River Ends

The Idas River flows into the north bank of the Bras du Nord-Ouest. This meeting point is in the city of Baie-Saint-Paul. This spot is located:

• 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi) south of the village center of Saint-Placide-de-Charlevoix.
• 4.1 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of Route 138.
• 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) northwest of the Saint-Jean mountain peak, which is 690 metres (2,260 ft) high.
• 11.1 kilometres (6.9 mi) northeast of the Sainte-Anne River.
• 10.7 kilometres (6.6 mi) southwest of where the Bras du Nord-Ouest joins the rivière du Gouffre. This is in downtown Baie-Saint-Paul.
• 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi) west of the St. Lawrence River shore.

After the Idas River joins the Bras du Nord-Ouest, the water flows for 14.4 kilometres (8.9 mi) along the Bras du Nord-Ouest. Then, it flows for 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) along the rivière du Gouffre. The Rivière du Gouffre eventually empties into Baie-Saint-Paul and then into the mighty St. Lawrence River.

What's in a Name?

The name "Rivière à Idas" (Idas River) was first seen on a map in 1955. This map was for the "Domaine forestier du Séminaire de Québec." The name also appeared on club cards for the Ruisseau du Pied du Mont and Lac des Fourches.

The name "Idas" remembers a hunter who used to visit this area a long time ago. Some other names that were used for this river include Bras de Saint-Joseph, Bras Saint-Joseph, Bras Saint-Placide, and Discharge from the Idas Cup.

The official name, "Rivière à Idas," was made formal on March 25, 1997. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is in charge of place names in Quebec.

Related Places

• Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
• Baie-Saint-Paul, a city in Quebec
• Bras du Nord-Ouest (Gouffre River tributary)
• Rivière du Gouffre
• St. Lawrence River
• List of rivers of Quebec