Gatineau River

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Gatineau (disambiguation).

The Gatineau River is a river in western Quebec which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec. The river is 386 km (240 miles) long and drains an area of 23,700 km².

From the 19th century up until the second half of the 20th century, the river was used to transport logs to sawmills near the mouth of the river. Philemon Wright and his descendants played an important role in the development of the lumber industry in the Gatineau valley. In more recent times, with declining quality in the forests of the region, logs are used for pulp and paper.

This river was an important transportation corridor for native people of the region and early explorers. Later, roads and railways followed the river valley. The river has been extensively dammed and is an important source of hydroelectric power. In the spring of 1974, there was extensive flooding along the Gatineau.

While it has been said that the river's name comes from Nicolas Gatineau, a fur trader who is said to have drowned in the river in 1683, the local Indian tribe, the Algonquin Anishnabek, assert that the name comes from their language. The name they give the river is "Tenagidno" which means "The River Without End". Interestingly, the geography of the area was altered with the construction of the Baskatong Reservoir, and it is still possible to travel upstream on the Gatineau and reach a point where a small portage will bring you to the headwaters of the Ottawa. The Ottawa River then flows northwest and turns south where it eventually flows more easterly and connects with the Gatineau.

The river flows through the communities of:

A covered wooden bridge over the river has been rebuilt at Wakefield. The original bridge, built in 1915, was destroyed by arson in 1984.

The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway, a tourist steam train follows the old train route up the Gatineau valley to Wakefield.

[edit] Tributaries

Tributaries of the Gatineau River include:

La Pêche River
Kazabazua River
- Picanoc River
Rivière Désert
- Rivière de l'Aigle (Eagle River)
Rivière d'Argent
Notawassi River
Choaurt River
- Rivière du Canot
  - Bazin River
  - Rivière aux Bleuts
- Fortier River
Wapus River
Gens de Terre River
- Belinge River