Rouge River (Montmorency River tributary) facts for kids

The Rivière Rouge (which means "Red River" in French) is a small river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Montmorency River. This river runs through two different areas called regional county municipalities (MRCs).

First, it goes through La Jacques-Cartier Regional County Municipality, specifically the town of Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval. Then, it flows into La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality, passing through the town of Château-Richer.

This river valley is surrounded by forests and mountains. A forest road runs along the east side of the river. The main activity here is forestry, which means cutting down trees for wood. After that, tourism, like hiking and enjoying nature, is also popular.

Because it's in a high place, the top part of the Red River usually freezes over. This happens from late November until early April. It's usually safe to walk 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 or snows. The biggest water flow, called the spring flood, happens in March or April when the snow melts.

Where the Rouge River Starts and Flows

The Rouge River begins in a small lake high up in the mountains. This lake is about 0.24 kilometres (0.15 mi) long and sits 598 metres (1,962 ft) above sea level. The lake's outlet is in the town of Château-Richer.

The lake is located:

• About 0.68 kilometres (0.42 mi) north of a mountain that is 672 metres (2,205 ft) high.
• About 1.24 kilometres (0.77 mi) south of another mountain that is 686 metres (2,251 ft) high.
• About 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) east of a bend in the Montmorency River.
• About 10.3 kilometres (6.4 mi) north-west of the Saint Lawrence River.
• About 6.6 kilometres (4.1 mi) south-east of where the Rouge River joins the Montmorency River.

From its starting lake, the Rouge River flows for about 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi). During this journey, it drops about 230 metres (750 ft) in height.

The River's Journey

The river's path is divided into several parts:

• For the first 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi), it flows west, then north, picking up a small stream.
• For the next 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi), it goes north between two mountains. It collects another stream and passes through a small lake that is 486 metres (1,594 ft) high.
• Then, for 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi), it flows west, then loops south, picking up more streams. It also gets water from the Château lakes.
• For 3.3 kilometres (2.1 mi), it heads north through a deep valley in Château-Richer. It then turns north-west after going around a mountain. Here, it meets the Rouge River East, which flows out of Lac Grand.
• Finally, for 0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi), it flows north-west, collecting water from another lake and a mountain stream. This leads to where it joins the Montmorency River.

The Rouge River ends by flowing into the east bank of the Montmorency River. From this meeting point, the water travels about 34.7 kilometres (21.6 mi) south along the Montmorency River until it reaches the big Saint Lawrence River.

Why it's Called "Rouge River"

The name "Rivière Rouge" was officially given on December 13, 1996. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a special group that names places in Quebec.

More to Explore

Here are some other interesting places and rivers related to the Rouge River:

• La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality
• La Jacques-Cartier Regional County Municipality
• Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, a town
• Château-Richer, a town
• Rouge River East
• Montmorency River
• List of rivers of Quebec