| Rivère la Retenue | |
| Pushpin Map: | Quebec |
| 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: | La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality |
| Subdivision Type5: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name5: | Château-Richer, L'Ange-Gardien |
| Length: | 138km (86miles) |
| Source1: | Unidentified lake |
| Source1 Location: | Château-Richer |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 47.037°N -71.0976°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 568 m |
| Mouth: | Ferrée River |
| Mouth Location: | L'Ange-Gardien |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 46.9711°N -71.1253°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 190 m |
| Tributaries Left: | (Upward from the mouth) Unidentified stream, discharge from an unidentified small lake, discharge from four unidentified small lakes. |
| Tributaries Right: | (Upward from the mouth) Bras du Nord-Ouest (Northwest Arm), unidentified stream, discharge from an unidentified lake. |
The rivière la Retenue (English: Retained River) is a tributary of the east bank of the Ferrée river. It flows in the municipalities of Château-Richer and L'Ange-Gardien, in the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Capitale-Nationale, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.
The lower part of this valley is served by roads around Lac la Retenue. The intermediate part which follows the foot of the big mountain, is served by a forest road for the needs of forestry and the maintenance of high-voltage lines of Hydro-Quebec. The upper part, which is difficult to access because of the mountainous terrain, is served by a forest road from the north. Forestry is the main economic activity in this valley; second, recreational tourism.
The surface of the Retained River is generally frozen from the beginning of December until the end of March; however, safe traffic on the ice is generally from mid-December to mid-March. The upper part of the river is subject to a frost period of about a week more due to the altitude. The water level of the river varies with the seasons and the precipitation; the spring flood occurs in March or April.
The Retained River originates from a small forest lake (length: ; altitude:). This source is located in a cuvée between three mountain peaks (686 m to the north, 684 m to the northeast, 688 m to the southeast and 679 m to the southwest) in the municipality of Château-Richer, at:
From its source, the Retained River descends on, with a drop of according to the following segments:
The Retained river flows on the north bank of the Ferrée River into a forest area.
From the confluence of the Retained river, the current flows on generally towards the south following the course of the Ferrée River; then on towards the east by the course of the Montmorency river, to the northwest shore of the Saint-Laurent river.[1]
This river was formerly designated "Laval River". This toponymic designation is linked to "Lac la Retenue" which has a dam at its mouth.
The toponym "Rivière la Retenue" was formalized on December 13, 1996 at the Commission de toponymie du Québec.[2]