Chaudière River

Chaudière Falls

Catchment area of ​​the Chaudière

The Rivière Chaudière is a right tributary of the St. Lawrence River in the Canadian province of Québec.

River

The river rises in Lac Mégantic and flows northward, first by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, then through the St. Lawrence plain. Finally, it opens in Lévis, across the provincial capital of Quebec, in the current. It is 193 km long and drains an area of 6682 km ². Just four miles from the mouth are the Chutes de la Chaudière, a 35 m high waterfall.

The Chaudière through a total of 262 lakes with a total area of 62 km ². The average discharge amount in Saint -Lambert -de -Lauzon 114 m³ / s, where the value is between 11 m³ / s and 470 m³ / s ( spring flood ) varies; the historical maximum value is 1760 m³ / s The main tributaries are Rivière du Loup, Riviere Famine, Rivière Beaurivage and Bras Saint -Victor. The river is considered very rich in species; live along its almost 50 % of all animal species in Quebec, including 330 of 653 known in the province of vertebrate species.

History

Near the waterfall once lived the Abenaki who called the river Kikonteku, meaning " river of the fields " means. On maps by Samuel de Champlain is found the name Rivière des Etchemins, this term is used today, however, a little further east for another river. He was then for a time as Rivière du Sault de la Chaudière, until finally began at the end of the 18th century Rivière Chaudière. The river was for the French colonists of great importance, since it represented a natural link between New France and the British colonies to the south. During the invasion of Canada in 1775 here the troops of Benedict Arnold attracted by, in their attempt to capture the city of Québec.

Hydropower plants

Is the Chaudière - hydro power plant ( ⊙ 46.715511-71.28519 ) At the Chutes of la Chaudière in Lévis. It has two Kaplan turbines (S- turbine upstream from ) with a total capacity of 24 MW. The drop height is 35 m. This was put into operation on 14 March 1999, new hydroelectric power plant replaces an older system.

Pollution

After the railway accident of Lac- Mégantic on July 6, 2013 pollute 100,000 liters of crude oil to the Rivière Chaudière.