The Causapscal River (/kzɑːpskæl/) is a waterway of 61.0 kilometres (37.9 mi) located in the Matapedia Valley, in La Matapédia Regional County Municipality, in administrative regions of Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, in Quebec, Canada. It is a tributary to the Matapedia River; where these two meet is called Les Fourches stream pool.

Causapscal River
Salmon fishers at Les Fourches stream pool at the junction of the Matapedia and Causapscal Rivers
Map
Physical characteristics
Mouth 
 • location
Matapedia River
 • coordinates
48°21′12″N 67°13′22″W / 48.35333°N 67.22278°W / 48.35333; -67.22278[1]
Length60.9 km (37.8 mi)

The Causapscal River flows through the following townships successively:

This river of the Matapédia Valley empties into the east bank of the Matapédia River, in the city of Causapscal, at the level of "Les Fourches" salmon pool.

Geography

edit

The Causapscal River rises in the Dunière Wildlife Sanctuary, bordering the cantons of Catalonia (township) and La Verendrye (township). This source is located in the Chic-Choc Mountains (part of the Notre Dame Mountains).

This source is located in the La Verendrye (township):

From its source, the course of the Causapscal River flows 73.4 kilometres (45.6 mi) divided into the following segments:

Upper courses of the river (segment of 43.6 kilometres (27.1 mi))

  • 0.4 kilometres (0.25 mi) south in Lavérendrye (township), up to the southern boundary of the Zec Casault;
  • 5.9 kilometres (3.7 mi) west up to Lévesque stream (from the southwest);
  • 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) northwest up to the boundary of the Lagrange (township);
  • 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) northwest in the Lagrange (township), up to Bacon Creek (from the east);
  • 10.6 kilometres (6.6 mi) northwest, crossing a swamp in the end zone segment, up to the outlet of Lake North (from the north);
  • 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) west, crossing a marsh area at the start of the segment, up to the outlet of Lake Lavoie (from the north);
  • 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) southwest up to the confluence of the South Causapscal River (from the southeast);
  • 0.7 kilometres (0.43 mi) southwest up to the limit of Casault (township);
  • 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) west in the Casault (township), collecting the waters of Gun Creek, up to the boundary of Blais (township);
  • 5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) southwest in Blais (township), collecting the waters of Pelletier stream and the discharge of Lake Bergeron, up to Casault River, which is the discharge (from the southwest) of Lake Casault (length: 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi); height: 344 metres (1,129 ft)) and Lake Causapscal (length: 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi); height: 344 metres (1,129 ft)). Note: These two lakes are separated by a narrow strip of land.

Lower course of the river (segment of 29.8 kilometres (18.5 mi))

  • 8.0 kilometres (5.0 mi) south, forming a detour to the west, up to the Marais Creek;
  • 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) southwest up to the limit of Casault (township);
  • 7.4 kilometres (4.6 mi) to the southwest in the unorganized territory of Lac-Casault (Casault (ownship)), up to the limit of Saint-Alexandre-des-Lacs;
  • 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) south in Saint-Alexandre-des-Lacs, up to the La Verendrye stream (from the east);
  • 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) southward up to the boundary of the city of Causapscal;
  • 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) south in the city of Causapscal, up to the Four Miles stream (from the east);
  • 6.6 kilometres (4.1 mi) southwest, in a deep valley, passing south of the pumping station of the city, then under the bridge of Saint-Jacques Street in the heart of the city of Causapscal and ends a hundred meters further west on the east bank of the Matapedia River.[2]

This confluence is located:

Fish and wildlife

edit

The Causapscal River is famous for salmon sport fishing by wading and/or by canoe. The river has 31 kilometres (19 mi) open to fishing, divided into 25 salmon pools in two fishing quota sectors.[3]

The Causapscal River contains large Atlantic salmon specimens that can weigh up to 55 pounds (25 kg).[4] According to GRRMP, between 450 and 600 salmon go up the river annually.[4] The river is divided in two sectors for fishing quotas. The first contains 11 pools and extends 11 kilometres (6.8 mi). The second sector contains 14 pools and extends 20 kilometres (12 mi). There can be four poles each day in each sector.[4] Access rights are drawn.

Salmon pools Municipality
Sector 1
2nd Mille Causapscal
3rd Mille Causapscal
4th Mille Causapscal
Bas Jumeau (Lower Twin) Causapscal
Jumeau Causapscal
Des Aulnes Causapscal
Du Vieux Camp Causapscal
De la Grande Grève Causapscal
De l'Île du 7e Mille Causapscal
Du Pont du Huit-Mille Causapscal
De l'Île du 7e Mille Causapscal
Sector 2
De la Dernière Chance (From Last Chance) Causapscal
Du Grand Remous Causapscal
Neese Causapscal
Potvin Lac-Casault
Florence Lac-Casault
Castonguay Lac-Casault
Du 11e Mille Lac-Casault
Du Bateau Lac-Casault
Des Chutes Lac-Casault
White Horse Lac-Casault
Du Pont des Falls Lac-Casault
Du Camp Draveurs Lac-Casault
Bas Martel Lac-Casault
Martel Lac-Casault

Toponymy

edit

The term Causapscal is related to a dozen toponyms in the Matapedia Valley.

The toponym "Causapscal River" was officialized on December 5, 1968 by Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec Place Names Board).[5]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Banque de noms de lieux du Québec: Reference number 11597". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
  2. ^ Segments of the river measured from the Atlas of Canada (posted on the Internet), Ministry of Natural Resources Canada.
  3. ^ Salmon Quebec - Causapscal River - Regulation on sportive fishing
  4. ^ a b c "Causapscal River". the Rivers Management Corporation Matapedia and Patapédia (GRRMP). Archived from the original on September 7, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2009.
  5. ^ Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec Place Names Board) - Bank of place names - Toponym: "Causapscal River"

See also

edit

  Media related to Category:Causapscal, River at Wikimedia Commons

edit
edit

Catégorie:Cours d'eau du Bas-Saint-Laurent