Saint-François River

For the river forming part of the Canada-U.S. border, see St. Francis River (Maine). See also St. Francis River (disambiguation).

The Saint-François River (French: Rivière Saint-François, pronounced [ʁivjɛʁ sɛ̃ fʁɑ̃swa]) is a right tributary of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada.

Saint-François River Rivière Saint-François (fr)
A tree on the banks of the Saint-François River in Drummondville
Map of the Saint-François River watershed
Native name	Alsigôntekw (Western Abnaki)
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Estrie, Chaudière-Appalaches, Centre-du-Québec
Cities	Sherbrooke, Drummondville
Physical characteristics
Source	Lac Saint-François
• location	Lambton, Estrie, Quebec, Canada
• coordinates	45°53′55″N 71°09′28″W
• elevation	289 m (948 ft)
Mouth
• location	Pierreville, Centre-du-Québec, Quebec, Canada
• coordinates	46°07′09″N 72°55′28″W
Length	218 km (135 mi)
Basin size	10,230 km2 (3,950 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Lac Saint-Pierre
Discharge
• location	Drummondville
• average	190 m3/s (6,700 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Magog River

Its source is Lake Saint-François in Chaudière-Appalaches, southeast of Thetford Mines. It flows southwest towards Sherbrooke, where it changes course northwest towards Drummondville, and finally empties into the Saint Lawrence River near Pierreville. Its total length is 218 km.

Etymology

The river was named by French Jesuit missionaries after Saint Francis Xavier (1506–1552), who explored the region under the French regime, and after François de Lauzon.

Geography

Its course is unusual, as it flows from northeast to southwest to branch off, halfway through, and continue its course from southeast to northwest.

The Saint-François River has its origins in the lake Saint-François and heads southwest toward Sherbrooke. Along the way, it crosses Lake Aylmer and Lake Louise, and passes through many municipalities.

Rivière Saint-François at Dudswell, QC

In Sherbrooke, it receives the waters of the Massawippi River and the Magog River basins. It continues north-west, passing through the municipalities of Windsor, Richmond, and Drummondville. From there it flows into the Saint Lawrence River at lake Saint-Pierre.

History

Map 1756 Blanchard & Langdon 1m

The Saint-François river at Sherbrooke in the 1950s

The river has long been traveled by Native Americans; particularly the Abenakis. The Indian Reservation of Odanak, which today has a population of about 400, has existed since 1670. The Fort Crevier was also built in 1687 by the river. A temporary Jesuit mission was established at Coös for the Abenaki living in the Connecticut River valley or near the Kennebec River. When the Abenaki mission Saint-François-de-Sales located on the Chaudière River moved to Odanak, the village took the latter's name, "Saint-François”. Odanak is located on the banks of the Saint-François River, about 10 kilometers east of lake Saint-Pierre. In 1805, an 8,000 acre reserve (32.4 kilometres (20.13 mi)) was granted for Indian refugees in Durham Township, near the present village of L'Avenir, as well as 2,722 acres (1,102 ha) (11 kilometres (6.84 mi)) in 1853 on the shore of Petit Lac Saint-François in the township of Coleraine.

See also

• Grand lac Saint François
• Lake Saint-François
• Lake Aylmer
• Lake Saint-Pierre
• List of rivers of Quebec

External links

• Management Committee of the Saint-François River Watershed (COGESAF)