Saguenay River
Pont d' aluminum over the Rivière Saguenay in Jonquiere
Catchment area of the Saguenay
The Rivière Saguenay ( Saguenay River in English ) is a river in the Canadian province of Québec. The name means in the Montagnais language "where the water comes out ."
River
The Rivière Saguenay is by the confluence of the two arms outflow of Lac Saint -Jean - formed east of Alma - La Grande Décharge and La Petite Décharge. After about 60 km, it flows near Saint- Fulgence in the Saguenay Fjord you. This is usually the Rivière Saguenay slammed, so that the actual mouth of the St. Lawrence River at Tadoussac is located.
Its catchment area is 88,000 km ². Its average discharge rate is 1300 m³ / s, but it can rise up to 3000 m³ / s. The 100 m difference in altitude between the Lac Saint -Jean and the fjord can be used by several hydroelectric power plants. The two right- Rivière aux Sables and tributaries Rivière Chicoutimi drain the reservoir located south of Saguenay Lac Kenogami.
Fjord du Saguenay
The Fjord du Saguenay (or short: Saguenay Fjord ) is 100 km long, up to 278 m deep and up to 3 km wide. It ends at Tadoussac in the St. Lawrence River. In the western part branches off a 10 km long arm to the southwest from ( " Baie des Ha Ha !"). The Springtidenhub is 5.5 m at the fjord mouth at Tadoussac and 6.3 m in the lower part of the Saguenay River in Chicoutimi. The fjord and the river are navigable for ocean-going vessels to Chicoutimi. The mixing of cold fresh and salt water by the tides makes the fjord mouth to an important feeding grounds of various species of whales, particularly for white whales.
The Saguenay Fjord is part of the Marine Park Saguenay -Saint -Laurent ( Parc marin du Saguenay -Saint -Laurent ). The banks of the fjord and the hills surrounding the Parc national du Fjord -du -Saguenay.
Hydropower plants
On the river there are two dams and associated hydropower plants. They are operated by Rio Tinto Alcan and are in Jonquière at the same height.
- Barrage de Chute -à- Caron ( ⊙ 48.450866-71.253812 ) with 224 MW, since 1931, 48.8 m drop height, maximum flow of 585 m³ / s
- Barrage Shipshaw ( ⊙ 48.448596-71.215145 ) with 896 MW, since 1943, 12 turbines, 64 m head, maximum flow of 1645 m³ / s