Rivière au Saumon (Saint-Jean River tributary) facts for kids

The rivière au Saumon (English: Salmon River) is a tributary of the Saint-Jean River, flowing in the unorganized territory of Lac-Jérôme, in the Minganie Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Côte-Nord, in the province of Quebec in Canada.

Forestry is the main economic activity in this valley.

Geography

The salmon river draws its source at the mouth of a small lake (length: 0.4 km (0.25 mi); altitude: 490 m (1,610 ft)) in the unorganized territory of Lac-Jérôme. The mouth of this lake is located at:

• 93.3 km (58.0 mi) north-west of the village center of Havre-Saint-Pierre;
• 72.5 km (45.0 mi) north-west of the mouth of the Saint John River;
• 47 km (29 mi) north-west of the mouth of the Salmon river.

From its source, the Salmon river flows over 71.7 km (44.6 mi) with a drop of 468 m (1,535 ft), entirely in the forest zone, according to the following segments:

Upper course of the salmon river (segment of 30.6 km (19.0 mi))

• 9.4 km (5.8 mi) first south to the outlet (coming from the southwest) of two lakes; then south-east to the lake ?; then south across the lake? (length: 5.2 km (3.2 mi); altitude: 376 m (1,234 ft)), to its mouth. Note: This lake is characterized by a first peninsula attached to the east shore, stretching to the southwest on 1.1 km (0.68 mi) and a second peninsula attached to the west shore, s' stretching over 0.7 km (0.43 mi) to the east;
• 6.4 km (4.0 mi) first towards the south-east, crossing a small triangular lake at the end of the segment, to its mouth;
• 14.8 km (9.2 mi) first south-east on 7.7 km (4.8 mi) to the northwest shore of Lac Collas; then east and south across Collas Lake (length: 7.1 km (4.4 mi) matching the shape of a soup ladle with the handle on the south side; altitude: 274 m (899 ft)) over its full length to its mouth. Note: this lake receives 5 lake discharges, the largest of which comes from the south;

Lower course of the salmon river (segment of 41.1 km (25.5 mi))

• 10.2 km (6.3 mi) towards the east by forming a loop towards the north, followed by another towards the south to bypass a mountain, collecting the discharge (coming from the north) from Robin lake, crossing the lake Le Bouthiller (length: 1.7 km (1.1 mi); altitude: 249 m (817 ft)) on 2.8 km (1.7 mi), to its mouth;
• 8.9 km (5.5 mi) first towards the east to a bend in the river corresponding to the outlet (coming from the east) of several lakes; then south, crossing Renfrew Lake (length: 3.6 km (2.2 mi); altitude: 223 m (732 ft)) on 2.8 km (1.7 mi), to its mouth. Note: Renfrew Lake is characterized by a large rectangular peninsula attached to the west shore, stretching for 1.1 km (0.68 mi) to the east; which gives the lake the shape of a question mark backwards;
• 16.8 km (10.4 mi) towards the south-east by collecting the discharge (coming from the north) of Lake Esnault and the discharge (coming from the southwest) of a set of lakes, up to the discharge (from the northwest) of Lac Douayren;
• 5.2 km (3.2 mi) towards the east in a deep valley, forming a loop towards the north, then curving towards the south-east, until its mouth.

The Salmon River flows on the west bank of the Saint-Jean River, about halfway between the southern limit of Labrador and the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. This confluence is located at:

• 27.9 km (17.3 mi) north-west of the village center of Mingan;
• 32.5 km (20.2 mi) north of the mouth of the Saint-Jean river (ie near the village of Rivière-Saint-Jean);
• 13 km (8.1 mi) west of Manitou Lake which is part of the hydrographic side of the Mingan River.

From the mouth of the Salmon river, the current descends the course of the Saint-Jean River towards the southwest on 43.4 km (27.0 mi) , to the north shore of Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

Toponymy

The toponym "rivière au Saumon" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.