Tonnerre River (Normandin River tributary)

Tonnerre
Tonnerre
	Watershed of Saguenay River
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Physical characteristics
Source	Île Ronde Lake
• location	Lac-Ashuapmushuan, Quebec, MRC Le Domaine-du-Roy, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec
• coordinates	49°26′13″N 74°03′34″W / 49.43694°N 74.05944°W
• elevation	406 m (1,332 ft)
Mouth	Normandin River
• location	Lac-Ashuapmushuan, Quebec, MRC Le Domaine-du-Roy, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec
• coordinates	49°21′08″N 74°04′35″W / 49.35222°N 74.07639°W
• elevation	383 m (1,257 ft)
Length	12.6 km (7.8 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	(upstream); outlet of lakes Hassels,; Guitare and Jacques-Drouin; outlet of lake des Simulies; outlet of lakes Wilfrid, Omer, Bayel and lakes Siamois; outlet of lake Couvret.;
• right	(upstream); outlet of lakes Cardo and Édon (via le lac Harquail); outlet of lakes à l’Ourson, du Bannock, Astier and Carci; outlet of lake du Crouton.;

The rivière au Tonnerre (English: Tonnerre River) is a tributary of the Normandin River, flowing into the unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan, Quebec in the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Le Domaine-du-Roy, in the administrative region of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, in Quebec, in Canada.

The Tonnerre River flows entirely in the Township of Ducharme. Forestry is the main economic activity of this valley; recreational tourism activities, second.

The route 167 (northwesterly) connecting Chibougamau to Saint-Félicien, Quebec cuts the middle of the Tonnerre River. The Canadian National Railway runs along this road.

The surface of the Tonnerre River is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice circulation is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

Geography

The hydrographic slopes adjacent to the Tonnerre River are:

North side: Coquille River, Coquille Lake, Boisvert River (Normandin River), Armitage River;
East side: Chaudière River (Normandin River), Atouk Creek, Little Chef's River;
South side: Bouteville Creek, Normandin River, Poutrincourt Lake, Marquette River West;
West side: Nicabau Lake, Rohault Lake, Bouteroue Lake, Boisvert River (Normandin River).

The Tonnerre River originates at the mouth of "Île Ronde Lake" (length: 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) width: 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) altitude: 406 metres (1,332 ft)) in the township of Ducharme. The mouth of this head lake is located at:

5.2 kilometres (3.2 mi) north-east of Nicabau Lake;
9.1 kilometres (5.7 mi) north of the mouth of the "Tonnerre River" (confluence with the Normandin River);
23.4 kilometres (14.5 mi) south-east of Obatogamau Lakes;
32.1 kilometres (19.9 mi) northwest of the mouth of the Normandin River (confluence with Ashuapmushuan Lake);
152.8 kilometres (94.9 mi) northwest of the mouth of the Ashuapmushuan River (confluence with Lac Saint-Jean).

From the mouth of Round Island Lake, the "Tonnerre River" flows over 12.6 kilometres (7.8 mi), according to the following segments:

2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) towards the Southwest, to the dump (coming from the North-West) of the Crouton lakes, the Pooh, the Bannock, Astier and Carei;
2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) southeasterly to the outlet (from the southeast) of Wilfrid Lake;
2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) southwesterly to route 167;
2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) south by cutting the Canadian National Railway, then crossing Harquail Lake (length: 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi); altitude: 392 metres (1,286 ft)), to its mouth;
2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) southerly crossing Verreault Lake (elevation: 389 kilometres (242 mi)) along its entire length to its mouth. Note: This lake is also fed by the outlet (coming from the North-East) of Jacques-Drouin, Guitare and Hassels lakes.^[2]

The confluence of the "Tonnerre River" with the Normandin River is located at:

1.0 kilometre (0.62 mi) downstream north-east of the mouth of Nicabau Lake which is crossed by the Normandin River;
26.0 kilometres (16.2 mi) south-west of the mouth of the Normandin River (confluence with Ashuapmushuan Lake);
147.8 kilometres (91.8 mi) west of the mouth of the Ashuapmushuan River (confluence with the lac Saint-Jean);
186.7 kilometres (116.0 mi) northwest of the mouth of lac Saint-Jean (confluence with the Saguenay River).

The Tonnerre River flows into a small bay on the north shore of the Normandin River, downstream of the dam at the mouth of Nicabau Lake. From there, the current flows south-east along the Normandin River on 38.7 kilometres (24.0 mi) to the northwestern shore of Ashuapmushuan Lake. Then, the current takes the course of the Ashuapmushuan River which flows to Saint-Félicien, Quebec on the west shore of Lac Saint-Jean.

Toponymy

The term "Normandin" is a family name of French origin.

The toponym "Rivière au Tonnerre" was formalized on June 8, 1971, at the Commission de toponymie du Québec.^[3]

Notes and references

^ "Atlas of Canada". atlas.nrcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
^ Segments of the river measured from the Atlas of Canada (published on Internet) by the Department of Canada's natural resources.
^ Commission de toponymie du Quebec - Bank of Place Names - Toponym: "Rivière au Tonnerre".

Geography

Toponymy

Notes and references

See also