- Peribonka River
The Peribonka River is a river in the
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area in Quebec, Canada. It is 451 km (280 miles) long and drains an area of 28200 km² (10900 mile²) [ [http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/rivers.html Atlas of Canada] ] . It ends inLac Saint-Jean atPointe-Taillon National Park and is one of the main tributaries of this lake. The town of Péribonka is located on the north shore of Lac St-Jean at the river's mouth.The name is derived from the Montagnais word "pelipaukau", meaning "river digging through the sand" or "where there is moving sand".
History
Historically the Montagnais indigenous people lived in this area and traveled the river by canoe. Since the arrival of Europeans, extensive logging has been taking place in the river's basin. Beginning in the second half of the 20th century, it has been dammed for hydroelectric development.
The classic novel "
Maria Chapdelaine " by French writerLouis Hémon is set on the shores of the Peribonka River.Hydroelectric stations
There are 4 hydroelectric power stations on the Peribonka River, 3 of which privately belong to an
Alcan aluminum smelter:
*Chute-du-Diable - built in 1952, 240 MW
*Chute-à-la-Savane - built in 1953, 231 MW
*Chute-des-Passes - built in 1959, 854 MWThe fourth, the Peribonka Power Station, is currently being constructed by
Hydro-Québec at the confluence with the Manouane River. It is slated for completion in 2008 with a capacity of 385 MW.References
* [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13880216_ITM Quebec Studies on power and the Peribonka River]
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