Saint-Charles River
Encyclopedia
Saint-Charles River is a river of Quebec
(Canada
), and the main river in Quebec City
. Its huron-wendat name is Akiawenrahk.
. Its drainage basin
is 550 km² large and a population of 350 000 persons live on its shores, in Quebec City and the Regional County Municipality
of La Jacques-Cartier
. It's the most densely populated drainage basin od a Québec river, with an average population density of 600 inhabitants per square kilometer, mostly concentrated in the last third of its length.
Many streams of Québec City and the surroundings are tributary to Saint-Charles River.
The drainage basin includes six main sub-basins, that are, excluding the Saint-Charles' basin itself:
Saint-Charles River's drainage basin also includes many secondary streams including:
This river crosses the Wyandot territory of Wendake
at the north of Quebec City. Rapids and waterfalls are found in this section under the name of Kabir Kouba or «Silver Serpent» in Wyandot language. The Parc de la Falaise et de la chute Kabir Kouba along the falls at this place has an interpretation center and trails allowing visitors to observe the 28 metre high Kabir Kouba waterfall in a 42 metre deep canyon, a rich flora and fossils as old as 455 million years. A song from the singer Claire Pelletier, Kabir Kouba, refers to the many Wyandot legends that revolve around the river.
The Parc linéaire des rivières Saint-Charles et du Berger is a 31 km long pedestrian trail following the river on its whole course. It goes through Quebec City downtown and continues northwards where the landscape is wilder. Many bridges allow visitors to cross the river. People can see, between others: the Kabir Kouba waterfall, a canyon, a bog covered with a wooden boardwalk, a full forest zone, a lake, a great variety of ferns and plants, many bird species and a place to observe them, a water castle, historic buildings, a Wyandot village and artworks.
Many other parks are located along the course of Saint-Charles River. Among the main ones, is the largest park in Québec City, Chauveau Park (larger than the Plains of Abraham
with its 120 hectares against 108), and that is also the site of the Québec urban fishing Festival, that allows many fishing related activities in the river, where fish is released in preparation for the event. Les Saules Park, where people can see the gardens of the O'Neill House. In Loretteville, citizens can walk, ride and enjoy fresh air on the shores of the St-Charles River and in Jean-Roger-Durand Park.
Finally, Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site
, a Canadian National Historic Site, is located on the north shore of the river in the Limoilou
borough of Quebec City. This park was created in 1972 to commemorate the second voyage of Jacques Cartier
in 1535-1536 and the establishment of the first residence of the jesuit missionaries in Quebec by Jean de Brébeuf
and four others in 1625-1626. Until 2001, a replica of Cartier's admiral ship, La Grande Hermine, built for the 1967 universal exposition in Montreal
, could be visited by the public. It finally had to be demolish after becoming hazardous following 29 years of exposition. Today, the uneven landscape of the park and the resurgence of the Lairet River combined with the revitalization of the Saint-Charles River banks represent the environment that have led Jacques Cartier to chose this site for his wintering. An interpretation center with a museum exposition and a 6.8 hectares inner-city park with several commemorative monuments can be found there. The Saint-Charles cycleway and the Saint-Charles River linear park also pass through this site.
and that Jacques Cartier
spent his first winter on Canadian
soil in 1535-1536. The river was first named Petite Rivière or Rivière Sainte-Croix by Jacques Cartier since he came there on the day of the feast of the Cross
. This name was also given to the first fort established by the French in this location. Its current name was chosen between 1615 and 1625 by the Récollets
missionaries who built a mission there, in honor of their protector Charles de Boves, vicar general of the diocese of Rouen. The protection of Saint Charles Borromeo
is also invoqued.
The southern part of the river's shores, near the estuary, was the site of the construction of industries during the 60's (who used it as an open sewer) and that was girdled in concrete in the 70's in order to regulate its flow. At this time, the river was among the most polluted (in great part due to the city's sewage system overflow) in Québed by its microbian pollution and its recreational use near the estuary was impossible. Since the mid-90's, community and governmental efforts allowed an important renaturalisation project to take place, for over 100 million Canadian dollar
s.
Quebec City counts in 2008 160 overflow canals allowing municipal sewage to pour into the river without treatment during periods of network congestion, specially following heavy rain. Québec's regulations allow four overflows by year, a norm that was exceeded for eleven valves along the Saint-Charles.. The number of overflows was however much greater before 2002 and reached up to 50 per summer. . Between 2002 and 2006, during the renaturalisation works, 14 retention reservoirs of great size were built, but investments ranging between 2 and 6 million dollars will still be required to alleviate the problem, in part blamed on old constructions where the gutters
are directly connected to the city's sanitary installations.
Since 1979, the non-profit oriented organisation Fishing in town releases brook trout
young into the river in order to facilitate its access to fishermen, specially young fishers.. In 2008, 25 000 trouts were planted, for a sum of 700 000 since the organisation's foundation.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), and the main river in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. Its huron-wendat name is Akiawenrahk.
Geography
It springs from Saint-Charles Lake, follows a course of approximately 33 km and ends into Saint Lawrence RiverSaint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
. Its drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
is 550 km² large and a population of 350 000 persons live on its shores, in Quebec City and the Regional County Municipality
Regional county municipality
The term regional county municipality or RCM is used in Quebec to designate one of 86 county-like political and geographic units. In most cases, they are also census divisions. Regional County Municipalities are a supralocal type of "Regional Municipality" and are still commonly referred to as...
of La Jacques-Cartier
La Jacques-Cartier Regional County Municipality, Quebec
La Jacques-Cartier is a regional county municipality in northeastern Quebec, Canada. It is located in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec. The seat is in Shannon...
. It's the most densely populated drainage basin od a Québec river, with an average population density of 600 inhabitants per square kilometer, mostly concentrated in the last third of its length.
Many streams of Québec City and the surroundings are tributary to Saint-Charles River.
The drainage basin includes six main sub-basins, that are, excluding the Saint-Charles' basin itself:
- Rivière des Hurons
- Rivière Jaune
- Rivière Nelson
- Rivière du Berger
- Rivière Lorette
Saint-Charles River's drainage basin also includes many secondary streams including:
- la rivière Hibou
- la rivière des Commissaires
- la rivière des Roches
- la rivière des Sept-Ponts
- la rivière Lairet
- le ruisseau du Valet
- le ruisseau Savard
- le ruisseau Ste-Barbe
- le ruisseau Pincourt
This river crosses the Wyandot territory of Wendake
Wendake
Wendake may refer to:* the historical homeland of the Huron/Wendat/Wyandot nation, on the south shore of Georgian Bay in modern-day Simcoe and Grey counties in Ontario,...
at the north of Quebec City. Rapids and waterfalls are found in this section under the name of Kabir Kouba or «Silver Serpent» in Wyandot language. The Parc de la Falaise et de la chute Kabir Kouba along the falls at this place has an interpretation center and trails allowing visitors to observe the 28 metre high Kabir Kouba waterfall in a 42 metre deep canyon, a rich flora and fossils as old as 455 million years. A song from the singer Claire Pelletier, Kabir Kouba, refers to the many Wyandot legends that revolve around the river.
The Parc linéaire des rivières Saint-Charles et du Berger is a 31 km long pedestrian trail following the river on its whole course. It goes through Quebec City downtown and continues northwards where the landscape is wilder. Many bridges allow visitors to cross the river. People can see, between others: the Kabir Kouba waterfall, a canyon, a bog covered with a wooden boardwalk, a full forest zone, a lake, a great variety of ferns and plants, many bird species and a place to observe them, a water castle, historic buildings, a Wyandot village and artworks.
Many other parks are located along the course of Saint-Charles River. Among the main ones, is the largest park in Québec City, Chauveau Park (larger than the Plains of Abraham
Plains of Abraham
The Plains of Abraham is a historic area within The Battlefields Park in Quebec City, Quebec, that was originally grazing land, but became famous as the site of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which took place on 13 September 1759. Though written into the history books, housing and minor...
with its 120 hectares against 108), and that is also the site of the Québec urban fishing Festival, that allows many fishing related activities in the river, where fish is released in preparation for the event. Les Saules Park, where people can see the gardens of the O'Neill House. In Loretteville, citizens can walk, ride and enjoy fresh air on the shores of the St-Charles River and in Jean-Roger-Durand Park.
Finally, Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site
Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site
Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site is a National Historic Site of Canada and so designated by the Historic Sites and Monuments board of Canada in 1958 under the recommendation of John Diefenbaker, the Prime Minister of Canada at the time...
, a Canadian National Historic Site, is located on the north shore of the river in the Limoilou
La Cité–Limoilou
La Cité–Limoilou is the central borough of Quebec City, the oldest , and the most populous, comprising 21.85% of the city's total population...
borough of Quebec City. This park was created in 1972 to commemorate the second voyage of Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
in 1535-1536 and the establishment of the first residence of the jesuit missionaries in Quebec by Jean de Brébeuf
Jean de Brébeuf
Jean de Brébeuf was a Jesuit missionary, martyred in Canada on March 16, 1649.-Early years:Brébeuf was born in Condé-sur-Vire, Normandy, France. He was the uncle of the fur trader Georges de Brébeuf. He studied near home at Caen. He became a Jesuit in 1617, joining the Order...
and four others in 1625-1626. Until 2001, a replica of Cartier's admiral ship, La Grande Hermine, built for the 1967 universal exposition in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, could be visited by the public. It finally had to be demolish after becoming hazardous following 29 years of exposition. Today, the uneven landscape of the park and the resurgence of the Lairet River combined with the revitalization of the Saint-Charles River banks represent the environment that have led Jacques Cartier to chose this site for his wintering. An interpretation center with a museum exposition and a 6.8 hectares inner-city park with several commemorative monuments can be found there. The Saint-Charles cycleway and the Saint-Charles River linear park also pass through this site.
History
The estuary of Saint-Charles River in Saint-Lawrence River has a special historical significance since it's at this location that was built the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoian village of StadaconéStadaconé
Stadaconé is the title of a 1976 album by the fusion band Sloche.- Tracklist :#"Stadaconé" – 10:16#"Le Cosmophile" – 5:40#"Il Faut Sauver Barbara" - 4:18#"Ad Hoc" – 4:28#"La Baloune De Varenkurtel Au Zythogala" – 4:58...
and that Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
spent his first winter on Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
soil in 1535-1536. The river was first named Petite Rivière or Rivière Sainte-Croix by Jacques Cartier since he came there on the day of the feast of the Cross
Feast of the Cross
In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus....
. This name was also given to the first fort established by the French in this location. Its current name was chosen between 1615 and 1625 by the Récollets
Recollets
The Récollets were a French branch of the Roman Catholic order, the Franciscans , which developed out of a reform movement that began in the 15th century in Spain and established itself in France in Tulle in 1585, at Nevers in 1592, at Limoges in 1596 and in Paris in 1603...
missionaries who built a mission there, in honor of their protector Charles de Boves, vicar general of the diocese of Rouen. The protection of Saint Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo was the cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was a leading figure during the Counter-Reformation and was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests...
is also invoqued.
The southern part of the river's shores, near the estuary, was the site of the construction of industries during the 60's (who used it as an open sewer) and that was girdled in concrete in the 70's in order to regulate its flow. At this time, the river was among the most polluted (in great part due to the city's sewage system overflow) in Québed by its microbian pollution and its recreational use near the estuary was impossible. Since the mid-90's, community and governmental efforts allowed an important renaturalisation project to take place, for over 100 million Canadian dollar
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
s.
Quebec City counts in 2008 160 overflow canals allowing municipal sewage to pour into the river without treatment during periods of network congestion, specially following heavy rain. Québec's regulations allow four overflows by year, a norm that was exceeded for eleven valves along the Saint-Charles.. The number of overflows was however much greater before 2002 and reached up to 50 per summer. . Between 2002 and 2006, during the renaturalisation works, 14 retention reservoirs of great size were built, but investments ranging between 2 and 6 million dollars will still be required to alleviate the problem, in part blamed on old constructions where the gutters
Rain gutter
A rain gutter is a narrow channel, or trough, forming the component of a roof system which collects and diverts rainwater shed by the roof....
are directly connected to the city's sanitary installations.
Since 1979, the non-profit oriented organisation Fishing in town releases brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
young into the river in order to facilitate its access to fishermen, specially young fishers.. In 2008, 25 000 trouts were planted, for a sum of 700 000 since the organisation's foundation.
External links and sources
- Vescovi, Luc, Réflexion moderne sur la gestion de l'eau en milieu urbain : modélisation hydro-bio-chimique du bassin dela rivière Saint-Charles], 1999, Thèse présentée pour l'obtention du grade de docteur en Science de l'eau. Université du Québec. INRS-Eau. Québec, Canada. Originellement consulté en ligne le 15 juin 2006.
- L'organisme "Rivière vivante" qui oeuvre à la renaturalisation de la Saint-Charles, consulté le 15 juin 2006.
- Conseil de bassin de la rivière Saint-Charles, consulté le 15 juin 2006.
- Dossier du webzine "Franc Vert", consulté le 15 juin 2006.
- La rivière Saint-Charles près du parc Cartier-Brébeuf sur Google Maps
- Brodeur, C., F. Lewis, E. Huet-Alegre, Y. Ksouri, M.-C. Leclerc et D. Viens. 2007. Portrait du bassin de la rivière Saint-Charles. Conseil de bassin de la rivière Saint-Charles. 216 p + 9 annexes 217-340 pp