Rivière du Petit Moulin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rivière du Petit Moulin |
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Chaudière-Appalaches |
| MRC | L'Islet Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Agricultural stream L'Islet 233 metres (764 ft) 47°03′55″N 70°17′36″W / 47.065151°N 70.293334°W |
| River mouth | Tortue South-West River L'Islet 29 metres (95 ft) 47°06′31″N 70°21′03″W / 47.10861°N 70.35083°W |
| Length | 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Rivière du Petit Moulin (which means Little River of the Mill in English) is a small river in Quebec, Canada. It's like a smaller stream that flows into a bigger river called the Tortue River South-West. This bigger river then joins the Tortue River, which finally empties into the huge St. Lawrence River.
This river flows only within the town of L'Islet. This area is part of the L'Islet Regional County Municipality in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec.
Where Does the Petit Moulin River Flow?
The Petit Moulin River starts in an area with farms, east of Bras Saint-Nicolas. This spot is in the Saint-Eugène part of L'Islet.
- Its source is about 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) southeast of the St. Lawrence River.
- It's also about 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) northwest of the village of Saint-Cyrille-de-Lessard.
- And it's 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles) southeast of the village of Saint-Eugène.
From where it begins, the Petit Moulin River flows for about 8.7 kilometers (5.4 miles).
Where Does the River End?
The Petit Moulin River flows into the Tortue River South-West. This meeting point is:
- About 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) southeast of the St. Lawrence River.
- About 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles) upstream from where the Tortue South-West River joins the main Tortue River.
- On the northeast side of the town of L'Islet.
How Did the River Get Its Name?
Long ago, if a river had a sawmill or a flour mill, people in French Canada often called it "Rivière du Moulin" (River of the Mill).
- Mills were usually built where the water dropped a lot. This made it easy to use the water's power to turn the mill wheels.
- It was also important for roads to be nearby so people could easily bring things to the mill.
- In winter, people used ice roads on the frozen rivers to move cut logs to the sawmills.
Because of this, mapmakers and surveyors kept the popular name "Rivière du Moulin" on official maps. The name "Rivière du Petit Moulin" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec's Place Names Commission).
