Tawachiche River

TheTawachiche River flows from north to south, on a distance of 25 km, entirely in the territory of the Municipality of Lac-aux-Sables in Mauricie in the province of Quebec, Canada. River Tawachiche pass through a single village, Hervey-Jonction, then crosses Rang Saint-Charles and empties into the Batiscan River (which forms a sharp bend at this point), at the limit Sainte-Thècle and Lac-aux-Sables. Its main tributary, the Tawachiche West River, flows into Tawachiche river at about 13 km from its mouth (in Audy sector, at the boundary of Zec Tawachiche).

River course

Several small lakes including Moose Lake, Price Lake and Lake Bégin, are feeding the head of the river Tawachiche East. While the river Tawachiche West is feeded by lakes Masketsi and Roberge.

All the headwaters of the river is located in the Tawachiche Zec Tawachiche which is the main watershed. Lake Masketsi (Template:Unit) is the largest lake in this sub-watershed (river Tawachiche) of the Regional Development Plan and Integrated Resource (PRDIRT)</ref>. This watershed includes part of rang St-Georges (north) and rang St-Thomas (north) in Sainte-Thècle.

On nearly all the way, this river flows in forested areas. Although the river flows through agricultural areas, from about a mile above the village of Hervey-Junction to its mouth, each bank maintains a wooded strip, of a width generally ranging from 50 to 100 meters.

Northeast of the village of Hervey-Junction, after passing under the bridge of the Route 153, the river flows through a beautiful waterfall cascades which inflates n March and April due to snowmelt. The surface of the Tawachiche river is usually frozen from November to April, allowing the construction of roads ice for transport to the lumber camps before the road construction carossables on the side of the river. This ice road was used greatly during the Indian prehistory and pioneers in the settlement.

Road and railway course

From the village of Hervey-Jonction, going back to the north, the "Lac-en-Coeur" road (Road of lake in form of Heart) leads directly to the lake of the same name (located 2.0 km from Hervey-Jonction). Then the road turns to the right (north) at 1.6 km from Hervey-Jonction and becomes the Tawachiche road, which crosses the railway line Hervey-Jonction - La Tuque (at 1.7 km from the intersection of "Lac-en-coeur" Road). Shortly after crossing the railway, the road crosses Tawachiche river. Then the railway and the Tawachiche road follow a similar path up towards the north near the Tawachiche river.

In sector Audy (near the mouth of the river Tawachiche West), the railway forks (9.1 km from Hervey-Jonction) to the north-west, parallel to the path of the Tawachiche West. All the way from Hervey-Jonction, the railway stay on the right bank of the Tawachiche river and Tawachiche West river. And 20.6 km from Hervey-Jonction, the railway skirts the "petit lac Masketsi" by the northeast, continues along the lake Masketsi along its length (east side), and passes through sector Gouin, located on the lake. At some points, the journey by rail area encroaches on the lake.

Several cottages are built surrounding the river Tawachiche, including several in the Audy (which has several small streets), the area of the falls in the village of Hervey-Jonction, and in the area between the village of Hervey-Jonction and the mouth of the river. Audy sector offers various services to visitors including a relay, lodging, rental cabins, camping, the docking station of the Zec Tawachiche, etc..

Major bridges

The main bridges over the Tawachiche river, from the mouth are :

• A bridge linking the St-Thomas North road (Sainte-Thècle) and Saint-Alphonse road (Lac-aux-Sables), is located at 0.5 km upstream of the mouth of Tawachiche river. This bridge is the responsibility of the municipality of Lac-aux-Sables. A second bridge (located a few hundred meters southeast of the first on the road St-Thomas-North) is located within Sainte-Thècle (bridge over a small river that is a tributary of the right bank of Tawachiche river, few hundred meters below). The road from St Georges Road (Lac-aux-Sables) ends between the two bridges. This area is designated Pee-Wee.

• Bridge Road Route 153 (chemin Saint-Charles), located at the northern end of the village of Hervey-Jonction (near golf course) or 5.5 km by water from the mouth (or 4 km in a direct line, because the sinuosity of the river Tawachiche). This bridge is located upstream of a large drop, which is located near the site of the second station-Hervey-Jonction. The new railway station is now located in front of the chapelle of the village.

• Bridge Railway Canadian National (formerly Grand Trunk Railway), on the railway line between Hervey-Jonction-and Lac Saint-Jean. The iron bridge is located 0.4 km upstream of the bridge on Route 153.

• Pedestrian Bridge in the second sawmill Veillette & Frères Ltée, built 500 meters north of the village of Hervey-Jonction, upstream of the railway bridge. This mill was built in the fall of 1933 and was operated until 1941. It was demolished in 1946 .

• First road bridge Tawachiche the way, leading to the docking station (sector Audy) of Zec Tawachiche. This bridge is located 1.8 km from the intersection of "Lac en coeur" road. After the bridge, the road up the river on the left bank.

• Second Tawachiche Road flyover, located 5.9 km from the intersection of Lake Road in Heart, leading to the docking station (sector Audy) of Zec Tawachiche. After the bridge, the road up the river on the right bank.

• Third Path Tawachiche road bridge in the Audy (Audy near the station), 7 km from the intersection of Lake Road in Heart. The bridge spans the River Tawachiche West, the main tributary of the river Tawachiche. Before crossing the bridge, the path splits into two Tawachiche branches Tawachiche the road which runs west to Lake Masketsi (north-west) on the right bank of the river and the road Tawachiche East, which continues north-east up the river Tawachiche on the right side for a few miles.

• Fourth Road Bridge Tawachiche Road East, built near Lake Pollack, approximately 2.3 km upstream of the river bridge Tawachiche West. After crossing the bridge, the path Tawachiche East goes north-east on the left bank.

Main Basin dams

The first dams built at the mouth of Lake watershed rivers Tawachiche, Tawachiche Tawachiche West and East, served from 1933 to regularize the flow (especially during floods) and the water level in order to promote timber transport by flotation. Since the 1950s, dams lakes at the mouth promote water activities. Major dams in this sub-basin are:

Main dams on watershed of river Tawachiche-West

Dam	Distance of Audy's railway station	Longitude	Lattitude	Notes
Calau	18.4 km	-72.499380303°	47.039225725°	located at 0.4 km from Welch lake
Suève-1	18.7 km	-72.491324102°	47.045336775°	located at the mouth of Suève lake.
Suève-2	18.9 km	-72.491324102°	47.045336775°	located at 0,2 km from Suève-1 dam, at the mouth of Suève lake.
Petit-Lac-Masketsi	7.5 km	-72.53611	46.97194	located at the mouth of "Petit lac Masketsi" (Little Masketsi lake). This dam belongs to Quebec gouvernement. The "petit lac Masketsi" empties into river Tawachiche-West.
Lac Masketsi	9.5 km	-72.55417	46.99944	This dam wal built at the mouth of Masketsi lake on Fall 1933 by Veillette & Frères Ltée in order to regulate the water flow for the first Tawachiche sawmill. Now, this dam is owned by the Quebec government. The outlet of Lake Masketsi is located on the route of the river Tawachiche-West. Native Masketsi designation means "moccasin"..

Notes et references

Articles connexes

• Zec Tawachiche
• Batiscan River
• Batiscanie
• Lac-aux-Sables
• Hervey-Jonction
• Sainte-Thècle