Rivière d'Aulnage facts for kids

The Rivière d'Aulnage (which means Aulnage River in English) is a river that flows into the Rivière des Sept Îles. It's located on the north side of the big Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. This river runs through the towns of Saint-Léonard-de-Portneuf and Saint-Basile, both in the Portneuf Regional County Municipality.

The top part of the Aulnage River flows mostly through forests, coming down from Sainte-Angélique Mountain. The lower part of the river goes through farming areas. This means that logging (forestry) and farming (agriculture) are the main ways people make a living in this river valley.

You can get to this river valley by using roads like Chemin de Rang Sainte-Anne on the west side and Rue Sainte-Angélique on the east side. The river's surface usually freezes from early December to late March. It's generally safe to walk or play 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. The biggest flood usually happens in March or April when the snow melts.

Where Does the Aulnage River Flow?

The Aulnage River starts where three small forest streams meet on Sainte-Angélique Mountain. This mountain peak is about 235 meters (771 feet) high. The source is in the town of Saint-Léonard-de-Portneuf, close to the northern border of Saint-Basile.

The river's starting point is near some big Hydro-Québec power lines. It's about 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) northwest of where the Aulnage River ends. It's also about 7.0 kilometers (4.3 miles) northwest of the center of Saint-Basile village.

The Journey of the Aulnage River

From its source on Sainte-Angélique Mountain, the Aulnage River flows for about 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles). It goes south down the mountain, then southeast into a flat farming area. It passes by the Saint-Basile Airport (Marcotte) and continues until it reaches the Sainte-Angélique street bridge.

After that, the river flows for another 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) to the southeast. Along the way, it collects water from several small streams that come from the farms. Finally, it reaches its mouth, which is about 60 meters (197 feet) above sea level. Here, it flows into the Rivière des Sept Îles, just north of the village of Saint-Basile.

The Aulnage River joins the northwest side of the Rivière des Sept Îles. From this meeting point, the water flows about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) south along the Sept Îles River. Then, it travels about 13.9 kilometers (8.6 miles) southwest, following the Portneuf River. It winds through the flat land near the Saint Lawrence River until it reaches the north shore of the big Saint Lawrence River.

What Does "Aulnage" Mean?

The name "Aulnage" comes from an old European word. In Europe, an alder grove means a type of forest where a tree called the alder (specifically Alnus glutinosa) grows a lot. Alders are part of the birch family.

In eastern Canada, an alder grove can be either a forest or a wet, swampy area. There are two main types of alder trees found here: the crested alder (Alnus viridis var. Crispa) and the rough alder (Alnus incana). These two types of alders like different places to grow. The crested alder grows in dry areas, like a forest. The rough alder grows in wet places, like a swamp or marsh.

The word "Aldering" means the act of cleaning up an alder grove. So, the name "Rivière d'Aulnage" likely refers to a river that flows through or near areas with many alder trees.

The name "Rivière d'Aulnage" was officially recognized on August 17, 1978, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like the official naming board for places in Quebec.