Saint-Michel River facts for kids

The Saint-Michel River is a waterway in the municipality of Saint-Donat, Quebec, Canada. It is located in the Matawinie Regional County Municipality within the Lanaudière region.

Roads like Chemin du Nordet and Régimbald Road follow the river valley. The main activities in this area are forestry (cutting down trees) and tourism (people visiting for fun).

The river usually freezes over from mid-December to the end of March. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from late December to early March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons and how much it rains or snows.

River's Path and Surroundings

The Saint-Michel River is surrounded by other important waterways. These are like its neighbors:

• To the north: Saint-Martin stream and Saint-Louis lake.
• To the east: Archambault Lake and the Ouareau River.
• To the south: The Bride River and Lac de l'Original.
• To the west: The Le Boulé River.

The Saint-Michel River starts from a small, unnamed lake in Saint-Donat. This lake is about 0.17 kilometres (0.11 mi) long and sits at an altitude of 495 metres (1,624 ft). From there, the river flows mostly northwest through a forested area for about 12.9 kilometres (8.0 mi).

Here's how the river flows:

• It travels 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) northeast until it meets the Saint-Martin stream.
• Then, it goes 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) northeast, making a big loop to the north before heading east towards Nordet Road.
• For 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi), it flows southeast, picking up water from a stream and a small lake.
• Next, it moves 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) southeast, then north, connecting with another lake's outlet.
• Finally, it flows 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) northeast, passing by a zoo and a small village, making another loop to the north before joining its main body of water.

The Saint-Michel River ends in a small bay on the west side of Archambault Lake in Saint-Donat. This bay is about 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) long.

The river's end point is located:

• 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) southwest of the center of Saint-Donat village.
• 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) southwest of where Archambault Lake flows out.
• 10.4 kilometres (6.5 mi) southwest of where Lake Ouareau flows out.

After joining Archambault Lake, the water from the Saint-Michel River travels north through the lake for 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi). It passes the west side of Saint-Donat village. Then, it flows southeast for 6.3 kilometres (3.9 mi) to Lake Ouareau. From there, it continues for 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) through Lake Ouareau, first southeast, then north to the lake's outlet. The water then follows the Ouareau River for 83.8 kilometres (52.1 mi). Finally, it flows into the L'Assomption River, which eventually empties into the Saint Lawrence River.

What's in a Name?

The names "Mont Saint-Michel" (Saint-Michel Mountain) and "Rivière Saint-Michel" (Saint-Michel River) are connected. The name "Rivière Saint-Michel" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968.

More to Explore

If you want to learn more, check out these related articles:

• Matawinie Regional County Municipality
• Saint-Donat, a town
• Lake Archambault, a body of water
• Ouareau River, another river
• L'Assomption River, another river
• List of rivers of Quebec