Click here to see the different types of streams
The river stretches through 124 km long. It has its source in the Champlain lake ( USA ) and flows from the South to the North to join the St-Laurent river, that goes into the St-Pierre lake ( Quebec ). During its quebec part, the river Richelieu Catchment Area has 18 lakes and ponds.
Nowadays, we can navigate between the river St-Laurent and New York city thanks to the river Richelieu .
THE RIVER'S COURSE
The average slop of the river is 0,19 m/km, pour un débit de 330 m 3 .s -1 , so we can say its flow is three times more important than the one of the river Charente with a gentler slope.
It can be separated in three parts :
• The river Richelieu before St-Jean-sur-Richelieu
This part is almost flat : the slope is only of 0,3m for a 35 km length. Moreover, the river shrinks little by little, moving from 1,5 km wide to 250 m.
• Thje river in the Haut-Richelieu (from St-Jean to Chambly )
The river course is punctuated with rapids : its slope is 25 m for 12 km. Then the river Richelieu gets wider in the Chambly Basin .
• The river in the Bas-Richelieu (from Chambly to the St-Laurent)
In St-Ours, the river has a strong slope. It joins the St-Laurent river at the lavel of Sorel city.
CITIES ACROSS THE RIVER
• Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu
• Iberville
• Chambly
• Beloeil
• Mont-Saint-Hilaire
• Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu
• Saint-Denis
• Saint-Ours
• Soreil
THE CHAMPLAIN LAKE
The Champlain lake is the source of the river Richelieu, and it is mainly located on the New York state ( USA ), and its upper part is in Quebec . It is the sixth biggest water area of the USA : 1130 km², 180 km long for 19 km wide in its maximum, and 80 islands. Its water supplies 200 000 inhabitants in drinking water, that is to say 34 % of the catchment area population.
It is said that a marine monster, called Champie, lives in it. Nowadays, a lot of cruise boats and ferrys navigate on it, and there are fishing activities.
Click here to see the map of localisation of the Champlain lake
THE SAINT-LAURENT RIVER
This huge 1200 km long river has its source in the Big Lakes and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in the Saint-Laurent estuary. It has more than 100 affluents, and the river Richelieu is one of them. |
