Rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest facts for kids

The Rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest (which means South-West Pit Cave River in English) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Rivière du Gouffre. This river runs through the wild area of Lac-Pikauba and the town of Saint-Urbain. Both are located in the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality.

The middle and lower parts of the river valley have a forest road. This road helps with the main activities here. The most important activity is forestry, which means cutting down trees. Another important activity is tourism, where people visit for fun.

The river usually freezes over from early December to early April. It's safest to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to the end of March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons and how much it rains. The river usually floods in April when the snow melts.

Where the River Starts and Flows

The Gouffre Sud-Ouest river begins at Prime Lake. This lake is about 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) long and sits high up in the mountains at 724 metres (2,375 ft) above sea level. The lake is surrounded by forests.

The start of the river, at the southeast end of Prime Lake, is:

• 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) southeast of Petit lac Malbaie.
• 19.7 kilometres (12.2 mi) northwest of the village of Saint-Urbain.
• 15.3 kilometres (9.5 mi) northeast of where the Gouffre Sud-Ouest river joins the Rivière du Gouffre.
• 20.2 kilometres (12.6 mi) west of the Saint Lawrence River near Saint-Irénée.
• 35.8 kilometres (22.2 mi) west of downtown La Malbaie.

From Prime Lake, the Gouffre Sud-Ouest river flows for 29.5 kilometres (18.3 mi). It drops about 518 metres (1,699 ft) in height along its journey. The river flows through a deep valley.

Here's how the river flows:

• It travels 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) east through Lake Favre, which is 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) long.
• Then, it goes 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) east to meet the Mouches stream. This stream comes from Lac à l'Écluse.
• Next, it flows 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) north, picking up water from Lac de la Truite. It then turns northeast through a deep valley. Finally, it bends east to meet the stream from Lac du Gros Castor.
• The river continues 5.9 kilometres (3.7 mi) east through a deep valley. It passes south of mountains like Mont des Lièvres (950 metres (3,120 ft) high) and Mont des Perdrix (953 metres (3,127 ft) high). It also passes Mont des Morios and Tette du Mont before meeting another stream.
• It flows 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) east, making a big loop to the south at the start. It goes through many rapids and collects water from a stream coming from the northwest.
• Then, it moves 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) southeast, collecting water from two more streams. It then meets the Bergeron stream.
• It turns 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) south, making a large loop to the west. Here, it collects water from a stream and the outlet of Lac aux Bleuets.
• The river flows 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) southeast, making a few loops, until it meets the outlet of two small lakes.
• Finally, it travels 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) southeast, with a few more loops, until it reaches its mouth.

Where the River Ends

The Rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest joins the Rivière du Gouffre in the town of Saint-Urbain. This meeting point is:

• 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) southwest of the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts.
• 13.1 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of the village of Saint-Urbain.
• 9.6 kilometres (6.0 mi) northwest of the village of Saint-Hilarion.
• 24.2 kilometres (15.0 mi) north of downtown Baie-Saint-Paul.
• 21.9 kilometres (13.6 mi) southwest of La Malbaie town center.

From this point, the water flows another 41.7 kilometres (25.9 mi) down the Rivière du Gouffre. This river then empties into Baie-Saint-Paul and finally into the Saint Lawrence River.

What's in a Name?

The name "Rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest" means "South-West Pit Cave River." This name first appeared on maps in 1915. It was also on regional map number 3-Est in 1943.

Over time, this river has had other names, like:

• North-West Arm
• South-West Arm
• North-West of Rivière du Gouffre
• Rivière Croche
• Rivière du Gouffre North-West

The official name, "Rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest," was made formal on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a special committee for place names in Quebec.

Related Topics

• Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
• Lac-Pikauba, a wild area
• Saint-Urbain, a town
• Zec des Martres, a special area for hunting and fishing
• Rivière du Gouffre
• Saint Lawrence River
• List of rivers of Quebec