Rocheuse River facts for kids

The Rocheuse River, also known as the Rocky River, is a cool waterway in Quebec, Canada. It's like a smaller river that flows into a bigger one, called the rivière du Malin. You can find it in a wild, unorganized area called Lac-Jacques-Cartier. This area is part of the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality and the Capitale-Nationale region.

A big part of the Rocheuse River flows through the beautiful Laurentides Wildlife Reserve. This reserve is a protected area where nature thrives. The main activities here are forestry, which means managing forests, and also fun things like recreational tourism.

During winter, the river's surface usually freezes over. This happens from early December until late March. But it's safest to walk or play on the ice from late December to early March.

Where the River Flows

The Rocheuse River is surrounded by other important waterways. These are called watersheds, which are areas of land where all the water drains into a particular river or lake.

• To the north: You'll find the rivière du Malin and the Jacques-Cartier River.
• To the east: There's Fragasso Lake, Sautauriski Lake, and the Montmorency River.
• To the south: You'll see Fragasso Lake, Sautauriski Lake, Walsh Lake, and the Rivière à la Chute (Jacques-Cartier River).
• To the west: More of the rivière du Malin, the Jacques-Cartier River, and the Rivière Jacques-Cartier Nord-Ouest.

The River's Journey

The Rocheuse River starts high up in the mountains, about 780 m (2,560 ft) above sea level. It begins where two small forest streams meet in the wild area of Lac-Jacques-Cartier. From this starting point, the river flows for about 17.5 km (10.9 mi). As it travels, the river drops a total of 223 m (732 ft) in height.

Here's how its journey unfolds:

• For the first 3.4 km (2.1 mi), it flows south, making a big curve towards the east.
• Then, for another 3.4 km (2.1 mi), it continues south, making a couple of turns. It then heads west and crosses Bradette Lake for 0.2 km (0.12 mi). This lake is about 721 m (2,365 ft) high.
• Next, it flows south for 4.2 km (2.6 mi), with some small twists and turns, until it reaches a long bay on the eastern side of Lac des Alliés.
• It then travels west for 2.7 km (1.7 mi), crossing Lac des Alliés itself. This lake is 3.0 km (1.9 mi) long and sits at an altitude of 713 m (2,339 ft). The river goes around a large piece of land sticking out into the lake, reaching the Allies dam at the end.
• After the dam, it flows west for 1.4 km (0.87 mi), going through some fast-moving water called rapids.
• Finally, for the last 2.4 km (1.5 mi), it heads north, crossing two more long sections of rapids before it reaches its end, flowing into the rivière du Malin.

Once the Rocheuse River joins the rivière du Malin, the water continues to flow. It travels southwest for 4.6 km (2.9 mi) through a deep valley. Eventually, this water makes its way into the mighty Saint Lawrence River.

What's in a Name?

The name "rivière Rocheuse" means "Rocky River" in English. This name was officially recognized on December 5, 1968. It was added to the Place Names Bank by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like the official group in Quebec that names places.