| Rivière du Gouffre | |
| 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: | 76.1km (47.3miles)[1] |
| Discharge1 Location: | Baie-Saint-Paul |
| Source1: | Lac du Cœur |
| Source1 Location: | Lac-Pikauba |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 47.8485°N -70.5679°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 823m (2,700feet) |
| Mouth: | St. Lawrence River |
| Mouth Location: | La Malbaie |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 47.7553°N 69.9536°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 4m (13feet) |
| Basin Size: | 10102NaN2 |
| Tributaries Left: | (from the mouth) Ruisseau du rang Saint-Laurent, ruisseau Gobeil, ruisseau de la Goudronnerie, ruisseau aux rats musqués, ruisseau du Cap Martin, décharge du Lac à la Mine, rivière à la Loutre (Gouffre River tributary), rivière de Chicago, décharge du Lac aux Brochets, ruisseau des Bouliane, ruisseau des Bergeron, décharge du Lac Nice. |
| Tributaries Right: | (from the mouth) Bras du Nord-Ouest, rivière à Renaud, rivière de la Mare, rivière Rémy, Le Gros Bras, ruisseau des Cygnes, ruisseau à l'Empêche, rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest, décharge du Lac Boudreau, rivière des Îlets (Gouffre River tributary). |
The rivière du Gouffre (English: Pit Cave River) is a tributary of the left bank of the Saint-Laurent river, flowing into the Capitale-Nationale administrative region, Quebec (Canada). This watercourse flows through Regional County Municipality from:
This hydrographic slope has 185 lakes and 35 tributaries. The Zec des Martres attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, particularly because of its mountain trails offering splendid views of the Gouffre River Valley, as well as sport fishing.
The Gouffre River has its source at Lac du Cœur (length: 1km (01miles) altitude:),[2] in the County of Charlevoix West, in the Zec des Martres which is located east of the Grands-Jardins National Park and west of Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park. Lac du Coeur is located at 4.4km (02.7miles) west of Lac des Martres and 2km (01miles) west of the Charlevoix-Est County boundary.
The water separation line (altitude:) between Petit lac Tristan (slope of the Malbaie River) and the brook of the Mountain (slope of the Montmorency River) is located west of the northwest shore of the St. Lawrence River (near the hamlet of Petite-Rivière). From this water separation line, the Malbaie River bypasses the valley of the rivière du Gouffre in a clockwise direction, to flow to La Malbaie in the Saint Lawrence River. The hydrographic slope of the Rivière du Gouffre stretches inland up to northwest of the mouth of the river.
The Rivière du Gouffre flows towards the Southwest for a total distance of 76.1km (47.3miles) before reaching the Saint-Laurent at Baie-Saint-Paul. Its course runs along the western boundary of the municipality of Notre-Dame-des-Monts and crosses Saint-Urbain. This river is characterized by its sinuosities and the presence of many rapids.
The river Gouffre flows on 76.1km (47.3miles) according to the following segments:
Upper course of the river (segment of 14.5km (09miles))
From the mouth of the Lac du Coeur, the Rivière du Gouffre flows over:
Intermediate course of the river (segment of 27.3km (17miles))
From the western limit of De Sales Township, the Gouffre River flows over:
Lower course of the river (segment of 34.3km (21.3miles))
From the limit of Notre-Dame-des-Monts, the river Gouffre flows over:
The Gouffre River empties onto the "Bay Bank" on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River in front of Île aux Coudres. At the confluence of the river, the strike is long 1.8km (01.1miles) to the southeast at low tide. In addition to the confluence of the Rivière du Gouffre, the main rivers flowing over this strike are (from west to east): Verreault Creek, Rivière du Moulin (Baie-Saint-Paul), Middle Creek, Vases River, Rang Saint-Laurent Creek, Lucien Creek and Bois Blanc Creek.
The watershed of the Rivière du Gouffre covers 1010km (630miles). Its main tributaries are the Le Gros Bras, rivière des Mares and the rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest. The total slope of the river is 686m (2,251feet).
The river Gouffre was named by Samuel de Champlain in 1608.[4] Its name refers to the whirlpool that forms at the foot of Cap aux Corbeaux, downstream from the confluence of the river Gouffre, and which was a source of terror for sailors.
The toponme "Rivière du Gouffre" was formalized on December 5, 1968 at the Commission de toponymie du Québec.[5]
The Rivière du Gouffre is an Atlantic salmon fishing river and a trout.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, sport fishermen in the Quebec region frequented these waters, which had and still have the reputation of offering large salmon. The population of this species can vary in number significantly from one year to the next. Since 1979, the Association of Conservation of the Valley of the Gouffre (ACVG) manages the salmon fishery. This non-profit organization was formed on March 20, 1979, thanks to the grouping of some forty members. In spring 1979, 100 salmon pits are inventoried in the Rivière du Gouffre. Since then, the ACVG has built 65 of these pits. Pedestrian paths run along the river; picnic tables and shelters have been set up. Two bridges span the river allowing fishermen access to all salmon pits.[6]