Noire River

BW

Template: Infobox River / BILD_fehlt

The Rivière Noire (aka Noire River or Black River) is a left tributary of the Ottawa River in the Western Canadian province of Quebec.

It runs in a southeasterly direction and empties into the Ottawa River at Waltham. It owes its name to its dark-colored water ( noire is the French word for " black ").

The river belongs to a group of three adjacent white-water rivers, which include the Rivière Rivière Coulonge and Dumoine. These are popular with canoeists and anglers.

The Rivière Noire has its origin in the wilderness south of La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve. It flows through the Canadian Shield and is characterized by changing river sections that vary between rocky whitewater stretches and meanders in sandy valleys. Typical trees in the area are black spruce, jack pine, White pine, Red Pine, juniper, alder and birch.

The river is still original except the last 30 km, where there are cottages. Immediately before it empties into the Ottawa River, the Rivière Noire is dammed by a dam, which is part of a hydroelectric power plant.

Paddling on the Rivière Noire

The Black River is navigable only below the confluence with the Coughlin Creek ( at km 237). There are many navigable rapids - mainly Class 1 or 2 ( for medium discharges ). Notable rapids on the Rivière Noire are:

• Km 114, "The Wall" - technically Class 2
• Km 100, " Targie " - Class 3 to 2
• Km 51, " 50-50 " - Class 3
• Km from 40 to 30 - all of which Class 1 and " swifts " (except at low tide )

A notable Portage leads to the Mountain Chute: One has the choice between a long distance through arduous terrain or a shorter route that begins above the waterfall and leads to an almost vertical slope, which requires the use of ropes.

Hydroelectric power plant and dam

The river is used to generate electricity from water power since the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1937 a dam was built, which was modified in 1994. The dam has a height of 11.7 m, a length of 106.4 m and a capacity of 13,800 m³. The dam and W. R. Beatty hydropower plant located near the mouth of the Rivière Noire at the outflow from the Lac Robinson. The power plant capacity is 10.6 MW.

Originally belonged to the powerhouse of the Pembroke Electric Light Company, later the Pontiac Hydro Commission. Eventually, it was acquired in 1996 by Brookfield Power.