The rivière aux Anglais is a tributary of the St. Lawrence River, flowing in the unorganized territory Rivière-aux-Outardes and in the territory of the townBaie-Comeau, in the Manicouagan Regional County Municipality, on the administrative region of Côte-Nord, in the province of Quebec, in Canada. The rivière aux Anglais is a watercourse with salmons. At the beginning of XXth Century, it had many lakes on its route.. The rivière aux Anglais valley is served mainly by "chemin de la rivière aux Anglais" and the lower part, by the route 138. The forestry is the main economic activity in this valley. The surface of the rivière aux Anglais is usually frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March, except the rapids areas; however, safe circulation on the ice is generally from mid-December to mid-March.
Geography
This river rises on the Canadian Shield, from an unidentified lake. This lake is located on the south side of Lac Blanc. The watershed of this river is and its length is at its mouth east of the town of Baie-Comeau. It flows in an almost entirely forest environment and its flow is regulated by three hydraulic works belonging to the company Resolute Forest Products. From the head lake, the course of the English river descends on, with a drop of, according to the following segments: Upper course of the English river
first west on down the cliff, then south in the marsh area, then crossing Savard Lake, to its mouth. Note: Lac Savard receives the outlet from Lac Paul;
towards the south-east, in particular by crossing on the Lac à la Loutre, to its mouth. Note: A village of around forty buildings is located at the mouth of Lac à la Loutre and downstream of the dam;
to the east, relatively in a straight line, in particular crossing Lake Pascal over its full length, bending south at the end of the segment, to the confluence of the Françoise River ;
first towards the south-west, then towards the south-east in a deep valley, relatively in a straight line, up to a bend of the river corresponding to the confluence of the Tremblay River ;
Intermediate course of the English river
towards the south-west in a deep valley by collecting the Brisson River, crossing a series of rapids, then forming a hook towards the south, to a bend corresponding to the outlet of a lake;
towards the south-east by forming a loop towards the north to a bend in the river where the course is oriented towards the east by forming serpentines, up to a bend of river ;
towards the south-east by winding in a deep valley and collecting numerous streams, then crossing on the Fer à Cheval lake, to its mouth. Note: The "Fer à Cheval lake" collects the Épinette River via "Lac Cinq Cents";
towards the northeast, in particular by crossing an unidentified lake, up to at its mouth;
to the east by crossing rapids, then crossing on the lac La Chesnaye where the current curves north to its mouth;
towards the east by collecting the Larouche stream, then curving towards the south crossing the Unknown lake, to its mouth;
to the south in a deep valley, crossing a small lake, collecting the discharge from Lake Ethier, collecting the discharge from Lac Léon, bending towards the south-east and crossing the Lac de la Rivière aux Anglais, up to dam located at its mouth. Note: route 138 passes at the foot of this dam;
towards the south-west with a drop in level of crossing several zones of rapids, until its mouth.
Its mouth spills out onto the west shore of the Baie des Anglais, on the north shore of the Estuary of Saint Lawrence, in the eastern part of the town of Baie-Comeau. This confluence is located on the north side of the facilities of the company Resolute Forest Products.
Activities
The English river was used for sport fishing until 1983. From that date, fishing was prohibited in order to protect the habitat of Atlantic salmon.. Part of it is declared a salmon sanctuary. Part of the river is diverted to Lac à la Chasse thanks to the facilities of the Resolute Forest Products paper mill. This lake is used to supply process and domestic water to the paper mill and the aluminum smelterAlcoa. The aluminum smelter then supplies the cereal Cargill and until August 2018 the Saint-George district. The Lac à La Chasse feeds until July 2018 the eastern sector of the town of Baie-Comeau, namely the Sainte-Amélie and Saint-Nom-de-Marie districts. The paper mill also supplied part of the Sainte-Amélie district. All residents of Baie-Comeau are now supplied by the new water treatment plant built in 2018 which draws its water from the Manicouagan River.
