| Rivière aux Saumons | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Quebec |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean |
| Subdivision Type4: | MRC |
| Subdivision Name4: | Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality |
| Subdivision Type5: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name5: | Saint-Félicien |
| Length: | 447km (278miles) |
| Source1: | Lake Barrois |
| Source1 Location: | Saint-Félicien |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 48.6817°N -72.5708°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 431m (1,414feet) |
| Mouth: | Ashuapmushuan River |
| Mouth Location: | Saint-Félicien |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 48.6928°N -72.5708°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 116m (381feet) |
| Progression: | Ashuapmushuan River, Lac Saint-Jean, Saguenay River |
| Tributaries Left: | (upstream) Discharge from a lake, rivière au Doré, stream, stream from Lac des Portages, stream, stream from Côté, discharge from lakes at Lorenzo and Côté, discharge from a set of lakes including Vert, Marcelin and Marchand, stream, outlet of Creux lake, outlet of a small lake, stream, Vison stream, outlet of Rageot and Vison lakes, outlet of Black Lake, outlet of a small lake, Aulnes stream, outlet of second Fred lake (via Lac Rognon), |
| Tributaries Right: | (upstream) Cran stream, Têtu lake outlet, Perdu lake and Petit lac Claire outlet, François stream, Vase and Dallaire outlet, Lachance outlet, Mousse stream, Pied des Chutes stream, stream, Jim lake outlet, Caribou, Clair and Clarvaux lake outlet. |
The Rivière aux Saumons is a tributary of Ashuapmushuan River, flowing in the unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan and in the municipality of Saint-Félicien, in the Domaine-du-Roy, in the administrative region of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.
The upper part of the Rivière aux Saumons valley is served notably by the Chemin de la Branche-Ouest, the Chemin de la Petite-Rivière, the Chemin de la Rivière-aux-Saumons; the intermediate part is served by several forest roads; the lower part is served by chemin du rang Saint-Paul (route 167), chemin du well, chemin Paul-Émile Tremblay, boulevard du Jardin. While the mouth area is served by the chemin du rang de la Rivière-aux-Saumons.[1]
Apart from an agricultural area in the lower part, forestry (mainly forestry) constitutes the main economic activity in this valley.
The surface of the Salmon River is usually frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March, except the rapids areas; however, safe circulation on the ice is generally from mid-December to mid-March.
The Rivière aux Saumons rises at the mouth of Lac le Barrois (length: ; altitude:) in a forest area in the unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan. This misshapen lake is mainly fed by the Indienne River (coming from the south), the Lerole stream (coming from the west), the outlet of a small lake and the outlet of Lake Shitney. This source is located at:
From its source, the Salmon River flows over with a drop of, especially in agricultural and village areas at the end of the route, depending on the segments following:
Upper course of the Salmon River (segment of)
Lower course of the Rivière aux Saumons (segment of)
The Salmon River flows on the south bank of the Ashuapmushuan River, opposite the Allard Island. This confluence is located at:
From the mouth of the Rivière aux Saumons, the current descends the course of the Ashuapmushuan river to the southeast on, then crosses Lac Saint-Jean east on (ie its full length), follows the course of the Saguenay River via the Petite Décharge on eastwards to Tadoussac where it merges with the estuary of Saint Lawrence.[2]
The toponym "Rivière aux Saumons" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.[3]