Rivière aux Pins (Montmorency River tributary) facts for kids

The Rivière aux Pins (which means Pine River in English) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Montmorency River. The Montmorency River then flows into the mighty St. Lawrence River.

This river is located in Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval. This area is part of the La Jacques-Cartier Regional County Municipality. It is in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec.

People can get to the lower part of the valley using roads like Avenue Sainte-Brigitte. The upper part has a forest road. The main activities here are forestry (cutting down trees) and tourism.

Because it's quite high up, the river usually freezes from early December to late March. It's safest to walk on the ice from mid-December to mid-March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons. It gets higher in spring, usually in March or April.

Where the River Starts

The Rivière aux Pins begins in the mountains. It starts from a small lake that is 638 meters (about 2,093 feet) above sea level. This starting point is about 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) south of another lake called Lac Turgeon.

The River's Journey

From its source, the Rivière aux Pins flows through a forest. It travels about 12.9 kilometers (8 miles) downhill. The river drops 238 meters (781 feet) in height along its path.

Here's how the river flows:

• It goes 480 meters (about 0.3 miles) south to Lac au Pin. The river flows through this lake.
• Then, it travels 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) southeast. Here, a small stream joins it from the north.
• Next, it flows 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) southeast, then south. It reaches Lac des Pins and flows through it for 195 meters (about 640 feet).
• It continues 0.5 kilometers (0.3 miles) south to where water from Lac des Coudres joins it.
• After that, it goes 285 meters (about 935 feet) south. Another stream from the east flows into it.
• The river then flows 0.6 kilometers (0.4 miles) southwest to a bay in Lac Poulin.
• It crosses Lac Poulin for 420 meters (about 0.26 miles). Lac Poulin gets water from Lac du Capitaine to the south.
• The river flows 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) southeast to Lac à Théodore. There's a dam here. The river flows through this lake for 260 meters (about 853 feet).
• Finally, it flows 5.9 kilometers (3.7 miles) southeast. Along this part, there are many waterfalls and rapids. It then reaches its mouth on the east bank of the Montmorency River. This is in the town of Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval. The mouth is in a town area, south of a golf course.

Why It's Called Pine River

The name "Rivière aux Pins" means "Pine River." This name came about because in the 1800s, many pine trees grew around this river. Pine trees were not as common in other parts of the area owned by the Séminaire de Québec.

Types of Pine Trees

There are five main types of pine trees that grow in Quebec. These trees belong to the Pinus family. Some common types include:

• Scots pine
• Pitch pine (Pinus rigida)
• Jack pine (Pinus banksiana)
• Red pine (Pinus resinosa)
• White pine (Pinus strobus)

Uses of Pine Wood

Pine wood is very useful! Depending on the type, it can be used for many things:

• Building houses and other structures.
• Making railway tracks.
• Creating poles and stilts.
• Building furniture and other wooden items for inside and outside.
• Making paper pulp.
• Building musical instruments.
• It's also used as firewood to keep warm.

Long ago, when the French ruled, pine wood was used to build ships for the Royal Navy. The tall, straight pine trees were perfect for ship masts. In the 1800s and 1900s, many loggers cut down pine trees. They transported the wood by floating it down rivers to sawmills or paper factories. Using pine wood helped people settle in areas like Mauricie and Lac-Saint-Jean.

The name "Rivière des Pins" was officially recognized on February 4, 1982. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which names places in Quebec.