This freshwater course forms a natural border between the administrative regions of
Bas-Saint-Laurent and
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The river is a North South divide in the
Notre Dame Mountains that characterize the relief of the Gaspé Peninsula. The Matapedia River basin drains an area of about 3,900 kilometres (2,423.35 mi). Matapedia River is often called the Salmon Capital .
From the South side of
Matapedia Lake and going to the South, the
route 132 along the river goes on its entire length by the East bank.
The
Canadian National Railway passes South of
Matapedia Lake continues on the West bank of the river in
Causapscal where the bridge at South of the village made the railway cross on the East bank.
The track then continues South on 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi); then passes again in the West Bank via the railway bridge located at 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi) North of the confluence of the creek Doyle.
The railway then rest on the West bank up to the railway bridge at the confluence of the
Rivière du Moulin (Matapedia River) [
fr].
From there, the last railway segment passes through the Eastern shore, up to the confluence of the Matapedia River.
Course
Matapedia Lake becomes Matapedia River at
Amqui, where it is a
meander river for a distance of approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi). It widens into an elongated lake 1 kilometre wide and 7 kilometres (4 mi) long at
Lac-au-Saumon before narrowing back to a river below the dam in the village of
Causapscal.
There, it joins with a major tributary, the
Causapscal River, forming a pool that is renowned for its
Atlantic salmon.
From there, the river continues on until the
New Brunswick border, where it empties into the
Restigouche River.[2][3]
The
Lake Matapedia (length: 22.0 kilometres (13.7 mi); height: 158 metres (518 ft)) is the head of water of the Matapedia River. This water plan 38 kilometres (23.61 mi) is located in the municipality
Matapedia Lake, in
Notre Dame Mountains. Its mouth is located in the Southeast to the height of a covered bridge.
42.8 kilometres (26.6 mi) South of the bridge
route 132 that spans on the
Matane River.
From the mouth of the
Matapedia Lake, Matapedia River flows over 87.7 kilometres (54.5 mi) as follow:
Higher Courses of the river(segment of 28.5 kilometres (17.7 mi))
3.9 kilometres (2.4 mi) to the Southeast, up to the bridge of the city of
Amqui of
route 195;
8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the Southeast, up to the highway bridge;
1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) to the Southeast, with a detour to the Northeast to the Northwest shore of
Salmon Lake (Matapédia);
5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the Southeast, crossing the Salmon Lake (Matapédia) on its full length;
9.9 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the Southeast, to the confluence of the
Causapscal River (from the Northeast) which is located on the South side of the village of
Causapscal.
Lower course of the river (segment of 59.2 kilometres (36.8 mi))
6.3 kilometres (3.9 mi) to the South, up to the highway bridge;
6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi) to the South, up to the highway bridge from the village of
Sainte-Florence;
8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi) Northeast of the confluence of the
Patapédia River.
Etymology
Its name may derive from the
Mi'kmaq word matapegiag, meaning "river junction", from the parts mata (junction) and pegiag (river), referring to the
Matapédia River that crosses the town just before its confluence with the
Restigouche River.[5] Another source from the late nineteenth century indicates that the
Mi'kmaq named the area Magabegeak which means "roughly flowing".[6] It has also been spelled many different ways over time such as Matapediach,[7]Madapeguia[8], Matapeguia[9], Matapediac,[10]Matakpediack,[11]Madapeguia,[11]Metapedia,[12] or Matapediac.[13]
The Matapedia is a world-renowned Atlantic salmon fishing river and was given the title "The Fishing Capital of the World" due to the abundance of large, healthy, bright salmon. The Atlantic salmon is mainly a fly fishing only, "
catch and release" species; and salmon fishing in this area is highly regulated by the Province of Quebec, with special daily permits and licenses required.[19] It is recommended to inquire in the village of Matapedia for information on permits and guides. Public waters are available to anglers in the upper portions of the river. Limited-access salmon fishing, generally with outfitters or guides to the most productive salmon pools is made available to the public via a special annual lottery. There are still many private fishing camps on the banks of the lower river, such as Cold Springs, Glen Emma, Runnymeade Lodge, Restigouche Salmon Club and the Tobique, most of them owned by businessmen and large corporations.[20][21]
Municipalities on watercourse
Matapédia River crosses the territory of these Quebec municipalities:
Matapédia (where the river empties in Restigouche River)
List of salmon pools
The river exceeded its target for salmon management in 2018, and in July 2018 the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks announced that in August anglers could keep their catch of one large salmon 63 centimetres (25 in) or longer in the
Gros Mécatina,
Napetipi,
Saint-Paul, Vieux Fort and Matapedia rivers.[22]
Lower Lawlor: also called simply Lawlor. His name has existed since at least 1978 and is in honour of Jack Lawlor and his family who lived before the pit.[23]
Du Pont
Delaney: this name which is existing at least since 1982, is in honour of the Delaney family which includes Jim Delaney, who was a guard at Restigouche Salmon Fishing Club.[24]
The Islands: this name is existing since at least 1982 because the salmon pit is located in the middle of three islands.[25]
Duncan Hole: This name is used since at least 1978. The English term Hole means that the pit has a significant depth.[26]
Haley's: Haley also called in French. This name has been used since at least 1982 and is in honor of the Haley family.[27]
Lawlor's Rock: Rock literally Lawlor. His name is from the time of Bard fishing camp in the years 1940 and is in honor of the family of Jack Lawlor who lived on the Matapedia River.[28]
Cheuter's
Pot Hole: this name existed since at least 1982. The English term jar means that the pit is small.[29]
Ryan's: Ryan is a French patronym. This name has been used since at least 1978 and is due to the fact that the pit is located just upstream of the Ryan Creek.[30]
Home
Railroad: literally rail, this existing name exist since at least 1978 due to the presence of a railway bridge over the river at this point.[31]
Lower Alexander
Indian Brook
Gilmour Creek
Ted's Rock
Prentise
Lyons
Mann's
Gulch
Habersham
McKiel's
Clark's Brook
Home Pool
Bowl
Three Islands: also known in French "Les Trois Iles". This name existed since at least 1978 and is due to the fact that the pit is in the middle of three islands.[32]
Jim's Rock
Millstream
Station
Foot of Island
Lower Fraser
Home Fraser Pool
Upper Fraser
Mirror
Glover's Rock
Gates of Hell
Rock Angus
Assemetquagan
Railroad
Area 2:
Falls
Richard
The Rocky
Low Murdock
Murdock
Whælock
Johreon
Stephenson
Glen Emma
Home
Kennedy
Pass Island
Milnikek
De l'Orme
Source
Shed Lower
Bogan
The Shed
Hugis
Low McNeil's
McNeil's
Edgar
Area 3:
Brown's
The Dog Island
Covered Bridge
At Omer
Alice
Fraser
Caswell
Rock French
Cullen
Rock Lepage
Nameless
Low Water
At Salmon
Monnick
Beautiful shoreline
Pont-Beaurivage
Florence
Low Adams
Upper Adams
The page
Pont du Chemin de Fer
Stream Lajoie
Grosse Roche
Low Matalik
Matalik
Heppel
Wyer's
Blais
Pont-Laforce
Douglas
Bend the Devil
Wainwright
Peter's
On-the-Pierre-à-Luc
Elbow Alac
Station
Home
Forks
Area 4:
Princess Louise
Sir Allan
Alice
Simgerly
Three Islands
Barrage
Salmon Fisherman
Salmon Fishermen on the pit "The Forks" (Les Fourches)
In popular culture
The river provided the name and inspiration for the title track of the album Matapédia by Quebec singer-songwriters
Kate and Anna McGarrigle.