Rivière aux Pins (Saint-Joseph Lake) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rivière aux Pins |
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|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Capitale-Nationale |
| Regional County Municipality | La Jacques-Cartier Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Tantaré Lake Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier 453 units? 47°04′01″N 71°32′47″W / 47.06694°N 71.54639°W |
| River mouth | Saint-Joseph Lake Fossambault-sur-le-Lac 159 m 46°54′04″N 71°37′34″W / 46.90111°N 71.62611°W |
| Length | 32.7 km (20.3 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Rivière aux Pins is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows through several towns in the La Jacques-Cartier Regional County Municipality. These towns include Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Shannon, and Fossambault-sur-le-Lac. The river is about 32.7 kilometres (20.3 mi) long.
The area around the river is mostly forest. This means that forestry, which is cutting down trees for wood, is a major activity here. People also enjoy visiting the area for fun activities like tourism. Saint-Joseph Lake, which is near the city of Quebec, is a very popular spot for vacations and outdoor fun.
The river usually freezes over from early December to late March. It's generally safe to walk on the ice from late December to early March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons and how much rain or snow falls.
Contents
Where the River Starts: Its Geography
The Rivière aux Pins begins at Lake Tantaré, which is 453 meters above sea level. This lake is in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier. Lake Tantaré gets its water from another lake called Lac Belle Truite and from mountain streams. The highest mountain peak in this area is 722 meters tall.
Lake Tantaré is surrounded by tall mountains. It's a wild and rugged place that's hard to reach. It's also part of the Canadian Forces base at Valcartier. The river starts from the south side of the western part of the lake.
River's Path in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier
From Lake Tantaré, the river flows south for about 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi). It goes through a small valley surrounded by mountains. It then reaches the mouth of Rivière-aux-Pins lake. This lake gets water from several other lakes, including Furiani, Potenza, Cesena, and Reggio.
Next, the river flows southeast for about 4.1 kilometres (2.5 mi) along a forest road. Along this path, it passes near a fire tower on a mountain. It then meets the Petite rivière aux Pins, which is 5.9 kilometres (3.7 mi) long and flows from the north. The Petite rivière aux Pins is an important stream that joins the Rivière aux Pins.
The Rivière aux Pins continues for another 4.1 kilometres (2.5 mi) southwest to the outlet of Lake San-Angelo. The river then crosses an area called the "Plain of Sangro." This is a wide valley with mountains on either side. The river then flows southwest for 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) until it meets water from a small mountain lake.
From there, the Rivière aux Pins flows for 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) to a forest road bridge. It then flows another 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) to the border between Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier and Shannon.
River's Path in Shannon
Once the river reaches the border, it flows west for 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) in Shannon. Here, it meets the Somme river, which brings water from lakes like Grande Ligne, Martin, and Noir. The river then turns southeast for 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi). After that, it branches off to the southwest for 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) until it reaches the border of Fossambault-sur-le-Lac. In this part, the river flows between Mount Casa-Berardi to the south and Mount Sorrel to the north.
River's Path in Fossambault-sur-le-Lac
The river flows for 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) between the border of Shannon and the Fossambault road bridge. Part of this section, about 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi), forms the border between the two towns. After the bridge, the river flows for its last 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) southwest. It finally empties into the east shore of Saint-Joseph Lake in Fossambault-sur-le-Lac.
From this point, the water flows:
- 3.9 kilometres (2.4 mi) south across Lake Saint-Joseph.
- 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) along the Ontaritzi River.
- 15.4 kilometres (9.6 mi) along the Jacques-Cartier River, until it reaches the northwest shore of the Saint-Laurent river.
Why the River is Called "Rivière aux Pins"
The name "Rivière aux Pins" means "Pine River." Pine trees are very common in eastern Canada. People have used pine wood for many things, like firewood, building houses, and making furniture. This type of wood is soft and easy to cut. Because pine trees are so common and useful, the word "pine" is often used in place names in Quebec.
The name "Rivière aux Pins" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is a group that names places in Quebec.
