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Watopeka River
Riviere Watopeka 2017-4.jpg
Watopeka River
Native name Rivière Watopeka
Country Canada
Province Quebec
Region Chaudière-Appalaches
MRC Le Haut-Saint-François Regional County Municipality, Les Sources Regional County Municipality, Le Val-Saint-François Regional County Municipality
Municipality Dudswell and Saint-Camille, Stoke, Saint-Georges-de-Windsor, Val-Joli and Windsor
Physical characteristics
Main source Lake Watopeka
Dudswell
303 m (994 ft)
45°38′20″N 71°45′41″W / 45.63890°N 71.76140°W / 45.63890; -71.76140
River mouth Saint-François River
Windsor
264 m (866 ft)
45°33′48″N 72°00′20″W / 45.56333°N 72.00555°W / 45.56333; -72.00555
Length 26.7 km (16.6 mi)
Basin features
Progression Saint-François River, St. Lawrence River
Tributaries
  • Left:
    (upstream)
  • Right:
    (upstream) Décharge du lac Saint-Georges.

The Watopeka River (which is rivière Watopeka in French) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Saint-François River. This river is part of the larger St. Lawrence River system.

The Watopeka River flows through several towns and areas. These include:

  • Dudswell
  • Saint-Camille
  • Stoke
  • Saint-Georges-de-Windsor
  • Val-Joli
  • Windsor

Where the Watopeka River Flows

Rivière Watopéka sous le pont de la route 143 (Prise ^2) - panoramio
The Watopeka River flowing under Route 143.

The Watopeka River starts at Lake Watopeka. This lake is located in Dudswell. It is near the borders of Saint-Camille and Stoke.

The River's Journey

The Watopeka River flows for about 26.7 kilometers (16.6 miles). Its journey can be split into two main parts.

Upper Part of the River

From Lake Watopeka, the river first flows west for about 0.7 kilometers (0.4 miles) through Saint-Camille. Then, it winds through Stoke for about 7.4 kilometers (4.6 miles).

Next, it flows west for 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) through Saint-Georges-de-Windsor. Here, it crosses an unnamed lake for 1.0 kilometer (0.6 miles). A small stream called Bruneau also joins the river here.

The river then flows southwest for 3.2 kilometers (2.0 miles) into Saint-Claude. It crosses Lac Boissonneault for 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles). Finally, it flows southwest for 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) through Val-Joli. This part ends where the Stoke River joins it.

Lower Part of the River

After the Stoke River joins, the Watopeka River continues for about 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles). It flows past the Charles dam.

It then flows southwest through the city of Windsor. Along this path, it collects water from the Péloquin stream. It also flows around Île Rouillard and passes two more dams, La Poudrière and Watopeka. The river also goes through the Poudrière rapids.

The Watopeka River eventually empties into the Saint-François River in the southern part of Windsor. This is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) downstream from Sherbrooke.

What's in a Name?

The name "Watopeka" comes from the Abenaki language. The Abenaki are an Indigenous people of North America. The word "Wdopikak" means "where alders are found." Alders are a type of tree or shrub.

Some people think Watopeka might mean "pearl river." This is because of the rapids in the river, which might look like pearls. Over time, the name has been spelled in many different ways. This happened as English and French speakers used the name.

For example, in 1801, a map showed it as "Ottopikak River." Later, in 1931, a French map called it "Wattopekan River." Other old documents used spellings like Watopéca, Wattopeka, and Wattopikaw. The river was also sometimes called "Le Grand Ruisseau" or "The Brook."

The official name, Watopeka River, was registered on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a naming committee for places in Quebec.

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