Rivière aux Saumons (Ashuapmushuan River tributary) facts for kids

The Rivière aux Saumons (which means "Salmon River" in French) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Ashuapmushuan River. This river runs through the area of Lac-Ashuapmushuan and the town of Saint-Félicien. These places are part of the Domaine-du-Roy region in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.

The river valley is used for different things. In its upper parts, there are special roads like Chemin de la Branche-Ouest. In the middle, you'll find many forest roads. Closer to the end, near the river's mouth, there are roads like Chemin du Rang Saint-Paul (part of Route 167).

Most of the area around the river is covered by forests. Logging is a very important activity here. There's also some farming closer to the river's end.

The river usually freezes over in early December. It stays frozen until late March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to mid-March, but be careful around rapids where the water moves faster.

River's Journey

The Rivière aux Saumons starts at a lake called Lac le Barrois. This lake is 3.9 kilometres (2.4 mi) long and sits high up at 431 metres (1,414 ft) above sea level. Many smaller streams and lakes feed into Lac le Barrois, including the Indienne River.

The source of the river is:

• About 30.52 kilometres (18.96 mi) southwest of downtown Saint-Félicien.
• About 27.3 kilometres (17.0 mi) southwest of where the Rivière aux Saumons joins the Ashuapmushuan River.

From its start, the Salmon River flows for about 44.7 kilometres (27.8 mi). It drops 315 metres (1,033 ft) in height along its path. Towards the end, it flows through farmland and near towns.

Upper Part of the River

The first part of the Salmon River is about 24.9 kilometres (15.5 mi) long.

• It flows northeast for 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi), passing through Lake Rognon.
• Then it goes northeast, then southeast, and finally northeast again through Lac à l'Ours. This lake gets water from other lakes like Caribou and Clair.
• The river continues northeast, then east, then southeast for 8.9 kilometres (5.5 mi). Along this stretch, it meets streams like Aulnes and Vison.
• The last part of the upper course flows east for 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi), bending north at the end.

Lower Part of the River

The lower part of the Rivière aux Saumons is about 20.1 kilometres (12.5 mi) long.

• It flows northwest for 7.1 kilometres (4.4 mi). It collects water from four lakes and forms a loop to the east. It also gets water from Lake Portages.
• Next, it flows northeast for 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi), crossing Route 167. Here, it meets the Doré River.
• Finally, it flows east for 8.2 kilometres (5.1 mi). It collects water from Cran stream and forms a loop to the south. It flows along the south side of the Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien before turning north and going around Bernard Island to reach its mouth.

Where the River Ends

The Rivière aux Saumons joins the Ashuapmushuan River on its south bank, right across from Allard Island. This meeting point is:

• About 6.6 kilometres (4.1 mi) northwest of downtown Saint-Félicien.
• About 15.5 kilometres (9.6 mi) northwest of where the Ashuapmushuan River itself ends.

From here, the water flows down the Ashuapmushuan River for 18 kilometres (11 mi). Then it crosses Lac Saint-Jean for its full length of 41.1 kilometres (25.5 mi). After that, the water enters the Saguenay River and travels 172.3 kilometres (107.1 mi) east to Tadoussac. At Tadoussac, the Saguenay River joins the huge estuary of Saint Lawrence.

River's Name

The name "Rivière aux Saumons" means "Salmon River." This name was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Quebec Place Names Bank.