| Bras du Nord-Ouest | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Quebec |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Capitale-Nationale |
| Subdivision Type4: | Regional County Municipality |
| Subdivision Name4: | Charlevoix Regional County Municipality |
| Subdivision Type5: | City |
| Subdivision Name5: | Baie-Saint-Paul |
| Length: | 27.7km (17.2miles) |
| Source1: | La Flippe Lake |
| Source1 Location: | Baie-Saint-Paul |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 47.3153°N -70.6687°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 684m (2,244feet) |
| Mouth: | Rivière du Gouffre |
| Mouth Location: | Baie-Saint-Paul |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 47.4467°N 70.5072°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 10m (30feet) |
| Tributaries Left: | (from the mouth) Discharge from a lake, five streams, stream from the Moulin, four streams, discharge from a small lake, stream, discharge from a small lake, discharge from two small lakes, rivière à Idas, two streams, discharge Lac à Foin and Lac Tremblay, five streams. |
| Tributaries Right: | (from the mouth) Le Petit Bras, Fourteen streams, discharge from an unidentified lake, four streams, discharge from an unidentified lake, four streams, discharge from an unidentified lake, discharge from Lake Larouche. |
The Bras du Nord-Ouest is a tributary of the west bank of the lower part of the rivière du Gouffre, flowing entirely in the city of Baie-Saint-Paul, in the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Capitale-Nationale, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.
This valley is mainly served by the route 138 (boulevard de Monseigneur-De Laval) which runs along the foot of Cap de la Mare. Besides the Baie-Saint-Paul residential area, agriculture is the main economic activity in this valley.
The surface of the Northwest Arm is generally frozen from the beginning of December until the beginning of April; however, safe circulation on the ice is generally done from mid-December to the end of March. The water level of the river varies with the seasons and the precipitation; the spring flood generally occurs in April.
The North-West Arm rises at the mouth of La Flippe Lake (length: ; altitude:). This body of water is bordered by marshes on the north and south banks. The mouth of this lake is located at:
From its source, the course of the North-West Arm descends on more or less parallel to the shore of the St. Lawrence River, with a drop of, according to the following segments:
The North West Arm flows into a river loop on the west bank of the Rivière du Gouffre, in the town of Baie-Saint-Paul. This mouth is located at:
From the mouth of the North West Arm, the current descends on with a drop of following the course of the Rivière du Gouffre which drains to Baie-Saint-Paul in the St. Lawrence River.[1]
This river is designated "Le Bras" in popular use by residents of the area. In French Canadian toponymy, particularly in the Charlevoix region, the term "arm" is frequently used in place of the generic "river". Formerly, this watercourse was designated "Bras Gariépy" or "Bras des Gariépy". This designation referred to a trading house located nearby and operated by Narcisse Gariépy around 1870. Topnymic variants: Bras Gariépy, Bras Nord-Ouest, Bras Nord-Ouest du Gouffre, Le Bras, Le Petit Bras, Rivière de l'Usine, Rivière du Bras, Rivière du Gouffre Bras Nord-Ouest, Rivière du Gouffre Nord-Ouest, Rivière du Nord-Ouest, Rivière Placide and Rivière Saint-Placide are variants of the official name. [2]
The toponym "Bras du Nord-Ouest" was formalized on August 17, 1978 at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.[3]