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Rivière à Mars North-West facts for kids

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Rivière à Mars North-West
Country Canada
Province Quebec
Region Capitale-Nationale
Regional County Municipality Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
Unorganized territory Lac-Pikauba
Physical characteristics
Main source Lac à Mars
Lac-Pikauba
858 m (2,815 ft)
47°49′45″N 71°02′48″W / 47.82921°N 71.0468°W / 47.82921; -71.0468
River mouth Rivière à Mars
Lac-Pikauba
579 m (1,900 ft)
47°58′19″N 70°58′02″E / 47.97194°N 70.96722°E / 47.97194; 70.96722
Length 26.6 km (16.5 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
  • Left:
    (from the mouth) Discharge of "lac des Écores", unidentified stream, discharge of lac Marchand, discharge of "Petit lac Cloc-Cloc" and of "lac Cloc-Cloc".
  • Right:
    (from the mouth) Unidentied stream, discharge of lac Potvin.

The Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest is a river in Quebec, Canada. It's like a smaller stream that flows into a bigger river called the rivière à Mars. This river runs through a wild area called Lac-Pikauba, which is part of the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality. It also goes through the middle-western part of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, a big protected nature area.

The area around the Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest is mostly covered by forests. People use forest roads for logging (cutting down trees) and for fun activities like hiking or camping. The main road in this area is called the "Consol Paper road."

During winter, the river usually freezes over from early December to late March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to mid-March.

River's Journey and Neighbors

The Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest starts at a lake called Lac à Mars. This lake is quite high up, about 858 m (2,815 ft) above sea level. From there, the river flows for about 26.6 km (16.5 mi), mostly heading north. As it flows, the river drops about 279 m (915 ft) in height.

Here are some of the other rivers and lakes near the Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest:

The Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest eventually joins the rivière à Mars. This meeting point is called a confluence. After joining, the water from both rivers flows together for about 66.0 km (41.0 mi) north. Then, it crosses the Baie des Ha! Ha! for about 11.0 km (6.8 mi). Finally, it joins the mighty Saguenay River and flows for another 99.5 km (61.8 mi) east until it reaches Tadoussac. At Tadoussac, the Saguenay River mixes with the huge Saint Lawrence Estuary, which leads to the Atlantic Ocean!

Why the Name "Mars"?

The name "Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest" is connected to its main river, the rivière à Mars. Both names come from an early settler named Mars Simard. He was one of the first pioneers to live near the rivière à Mars around the 1870s, close to the Baie des Ha! Ha!.

The name "Rivière à Mars Nord-Ouest" first appeared on maps in 1961. It was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec. This commission is like a special group in Quebec that makes sure all place names are correct and officially recorded.

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