The Jacob River is a tributary of the north shore of the Malbaie River flowing generally southward successively into zec du Lac-au-Sable into the unorganized territory of Mont-Élie, in the city of La Malbaie and in the city of Clermont at the end of the course, in Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality, in Quebec, Canada.

With a difference of 403m (1,322feet), the Jacob River flows southerly in a forest zone between the Snigole River (West side) and the Comporté River (East side). After several rounds of rapids, waterfalls and falls in the forest area, the Jacob River flows into the Malbaie River in front of downtown Clermont.

This small forest valley is mostly accessible in its lower part by the Marais road which goes to the North, and in its upper part by a secondary forest road serving the west bank of the river. Forestry is the main economic activity of the sector; recreational tourism activities, second.

The surface of this stream is generally frozen from mid-December to late-March. Nevertheless, safe ice traffic is generally from late December to mid-March.

Geography

The Jacob River has its source at Jacob Lake (length: 0.8km (00.5miles), altitude: 443m (1,453feet)) located in Zec du Lac-au-Sable. This wild lake is located in a small forest valley (in the north-south axis). This lake is enclosed by mountains with a peak of 800m (2,600feet) in the east, 880m (2,890feet) in the southwest, and another of 636m (2,087feet) to the northwest. A stream on the north shore of this lake drains a small valley. Hydro-Québec high-voltage lines (north-south direction) pass on the west side of the lake.

From the dam at the outlet of Jacob Lake, the current flows southward along the following segments:

7.9km (04.9miles) to the south in elevation of 182m (597feet) crossing several series of rapids and waterfalls, first in the unorganized territory of Mont-Élie then in the territory of the town of La Malbaie, until the first bridge of the Chemin des Marais;
1.4km (00.9miles) to the south crossing several series of rapids and waterfalls, and entering the territory of Clermont, to the second bridge of the "chemin des Marais";
4.1km (02.5miles) to the south, crossing several series of rapids and waterfalls, to the Lac des Lacs bridge;
1km (01miles) to the south passing through agricultural and industrial territory, and passing under the railway bridge, until its confluence with the Malbaie River.

For regulatory purposes, a low-capacity dam owned by the Government of Quebec was erected on the Jacob River 1km (01miles) upstream of the mouth of the Jacob River. The concrete-gravity type structure with a height of 4.1m (13.5feet) and a length of 20m (70feet) was built in 1938.^[2]

The confluence of the Jacob River is located opposite a municipal park in downtown Clermont, at 1.1km (00.7miles) downstream of the dam which creates a widening of the Malbaie River and a hundred meters upstream from the railway bridge over the Malbaie River in downtown Clermont.

Toponymy

The term "Jacob" refers to the memory of a former owner of a lot of land around Lake Jacob. According to the Commission de toponymie du Québec, four mills were built and operated along its route: two saw mills, a flour mill and a wool card mill.

The name "Jacob River" was formalized on December 5, 1968 at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.^[3]

Notes and References

Web site: Jacob River, Bank of Quebec place names. Commission de toponymie du Québec. December 6, 2019.
http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/toposweb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=30546 Commission de toponymie du Quebec - Bank of Place Names - Toponym: Jacob River
http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/toposweb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=30546 Commission de toponymie du Québec - Bank of Place Names - Toponym: Jacob River

Jacob River (Quebec) Explained

Geography

Toponymy

See also

Notes and References