Rivière du Loup (Bas-Saint-Laurent) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rivière du Loup(English: Wolf River) |
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Gorge of the Riviere du Loup at the city of Rivière-du-Loup
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Saint-Pierre Lake 479 m (1,572 ft) |
| River mouth | Saint Lawrence River Rivière-du-Loup 0 ft (0 m) Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Length | 101.3 km (62.9 mi) |
The Rivière du Loup is a river in eastern Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Saint Lawrence River at the city of Rivière-du-Loup. This city is part of a larger area called the Rivière-du-Loup RCM.
There is a hydroelectric power plant on the river near the city. This plant uses the river's water to make electricity for people to use.
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Where Does the Wolf River Flow?
The Rivière du Loup, which means "river of the Wolf" in French, starts its journey in Saint-Pierre Lake. This lake is found in the Painchaud area, within the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality.
The lake is located in the Notre Dame Mountains. It is also part of a special area called the Zec Chapais, which is managed for hunting and fishing.
The River's Path
The Rivière du Loup flows north for about 101.3 kilometers (63 miles). As it travels, it passes through different regional county municipalities (MRCs).
- MRC Kamouraska:
- Mont-Carmel
- Saint-Bruno-de-Kamouraska
- Sainte-Hélène-de-Kamouraska
- Saint-Joseph-de-Kamouraska
- Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska
- MRC Rivière-du-Loup:
- Saint-Antonin
- Notre-Dame-du-Portage
- Rivière-du-Loup city
Where the River Meets the Sea
When the Rivière du Loup reaches its end, it flows into the Saint Lawrence River. This happens at a place called "Cayes to Carrier Bay." At low tide, you can see a long rocky edge here.
This edge stretches out into the Saint Lawrence River for about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile). A marina, which is a place for boats, is built at the end of this edge.
The river's mouth is across from two islands: Île aux Lièvres (Hare Island) and Île Blanche (White Island). These islands are about 10 kilometers (6 miles) offshore.
A channel called "Pot à l'Eau-de-Vie" separates the islands from the mainland. The Estuary Islands Wildlife Reserve is located on a group of islands between Hare Island and this channel. This reserve helps protect local wildlife.
Why is it Called Wolf River?
The name "Rivière du Loup" means "Wolf River" in French. There are a couple of ideas about how it got its name.
One idea is that it came from a native tribe known as "Les Loups," which means "The Wolves." Another idea is that it refers to the many seals that used to be found at the river's mouth. In French, seals are sometimes called loup marin, meaning "sea wolf."
