Blanche River (Portneuf River tributary)

Blanche River
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Capitale-Nationale, Mauricie
Regional County Municipality	Portneuf Regional County Municipality
Municipalities	Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Pont-Rouge, Saint-Basile
Physical characteristics
Source	Blanc Lake
• location	Saint-Raymond, MRC Portneuf Regional County Municipality
• coordinates	46°50′23″N 71°41′34″W / 46.83969°N 71.69266°W / 46.83969; -71.69266
• elevation	334 m (1,096 ft)
Mouth	Portneuf River
• location	Saint-Basile
• coordinates	46°48′17″N 71°44′51″W / 46.80472°N 71.7475°W / 46.80472; -71.7475
• elevation	110 m (360 ft)
Length	7.9 km (4.9 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Discharge of Lac Linteau.

The Rivière Blanche is a tributary of the Portneuf River, flowing in the municipalities of Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Pont-Rouge and Saint-Basile, in the regional county municipality (MRC) of Portneuf Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Capitale-Nationale, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.^[1]

Apart from the passage of the river in a small hamlet of Pont-Rouge (near Lake André), the Blanche river flows especially at the border between the agricultural and forest environment, the main economic activities of this small valley.^[2]

This valley is served by chemin du Rang Sainte-Madeleine, chemin du 2e rang du Brûlé, rue Lamothe, chemin Tâché and chemin des Ormeaux.^[2]

The surface of the Blanche River (except the rapids areas) is generally frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March; however, safe circulation on the ice is generally from late December to early March. The water level of the river varies with the seasons and the precipitation; the spring flood occurs in March or April.

The Blanche River rises at Lac Blanc located in the northwestern part of the municipality of Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier. Its mouth is located 0.75 kilometres (0.47 mi) southwest of a mountain peak culminating at 355 metres (1,165 ft), at 2.24 kilometres (1.39 mi) southeast of Sergent Lake, 6.6 kilometres (4.1 mi) south-west of the village center of Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier and 13.2 kilometres (8.2 mi) north-east of the village center of Saint-Basile.^[3]

From the mouth of Lac Blanc, the course of the Blanche River descends on 7.9 kilometres (4.9 mi), with a drop of 224 metres (735 ft), according to the following segments:

• 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) to the south-east in the forest zone and down the mountain, then south, to the outlet (coming from the north-east) of Lac Linteau, corresponding to the hamlet of Lac André ;
• 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi) towards the southwest by following the foot of the mountain, then crosses a small plain, to its mouth. Note: Part of this last segment marks the boundary between Pont-Rouge and Saint-Basile.^[3]

The Blanche river flows on the northeast bank of the Portneuf River. This confluence is located 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi) north-west of the center of the village of Pont-Rouge, 16.3 kilometres (10.1 mi) north of the confluence of the Portneuf and Saint Lawrence River.^[3]

From the mouth of the Blanche River, the current descends on 21.9 kilometres (13.6 mi) the Portneuf River, winding south-west through the St. Lawrence plain, to the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.^[3]

The toponym "Rivière Blanche" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.^[1]

• Portneuf Regional County Municipality
• Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, a municipality
• Saint-Basile, a municipality
• Pont-Rouge, a municipality
• Portneuf River, a watercourse
• List of rivers of Quebec