The Apica River is a freshwater tributary of the Pikauba River, flowing in the unorganized territory of Lac-Ministuk, in the Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, in the province of Quebec, in Canada. The Apica River flows through a narrow, steep valley. Visitors can admire the panorama from a rest area located a few kilometers north of the route 169 bridge over it. This river turns out to be the outlet of a series of small aligned lakes, located to the south, Lake Micoine constituting its head. At the end of the route, the Apica river flows at the foot of Apica mountain, culminating at. The lake of the same name is located to the southwest of Mount-Apica; however, this lake is integrated into the watershed of the rivière aux Écorces. The upper part of the Apica valley is accessible by the route 169 ; other secondary forest roads have been developed in the sector for forestry and recreational tourism activities. Forestry is the primary economic activity in the sector; recreational tourism, second. The surface of the Apica River is usually frozen from late November to early April, however safe circulation on the ice is generally from mid-December to late March.
From the mouth of Lake Micoine, the course of the Apica River flows over entirely in the forest zone, with a drop of, according to the following segments :
north-west crossing Mitchell Lake over its full length, up to its mouth. Note: Mitchell Lake is contiguous to Micoine Lake and has a bay extending to the southeast on the west shore. A mountain is located on the east side; another mountain located on the peninsula forming the west bank rises to the summit at ; a third summit located south of Lac Mignault is. A breakwater is built at the mouth on the northwest bank;
towards the north-west notably by crossing Lake Lemay to its mouth. Note: About 90% of the area of this lake constitutes a marsh area;
From the confluence of the Apica river with the Pikauba River, the current descends successively the Pikauba river on to the northeast, then the current crosses the Kenogami Lake on north-east to Barrage de Portage-des-Roches, then follows the course of the Chicoutimi River on to the east, then the northeast, and the course of the Saguenay River on east to Tadoussac where it merges with the Saint Lawrence estuary.
Toponymy
The Dictionary of Rivers and Lakes of the Province of Quebec calls this stream "Upika River". The toponymic designation of this river appears under the spelling "Upica" on the map of the province of Quebec by Eugène Taché, in Studies by Stanislas Drapeau on the developments of the colonization of Lower Canada, and in an 1850 report from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, JH Price, with the spelling "Upika". The Innu term "upica" means "it is constricted" when speaking of a watercourse. This term could also mean "carrying strap", according to an interpretation known formerly. Long used, the name "Upica" was changed in 1961 to "Apica" as was the new designation "Mount Apica". This mountain then acquired a certain notoriety following the installation, nearby, of a radar station, today disused. The toponym "Apica river" was formalized on June 6, 1973, at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.
