This hydrographic slope has 185 lakes and 35 tributaries. The Zec des Martres attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, particularly because of its mountain trails offering splendid views of the Gouffre River Valley, as well as sport fishing.
Hydrology
The Gouffre River has its source at Lac du Cœur, in the County of Charlevoix West, in the Zec des Martres which is located east of the Grands-Jardins National Park and west of Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park. Lac du Coeur is located at west of Lac des Martres and west of the Charlevoix-Est County boundary. The water separation line between Petit lac Tristan and the brook of the Mountain is located west of the northwest shore of the St. Lawrence River. From this water separation line, the Malbaie River bypasses the valley of the rivière du Gouffre in a clockwise direction, to flow to La Malbaie in the Saint Lawrence River. The hydrographic slope of the Rivière du Gouffre stretches inland up to northwest of the mouth of the river. The Rivière du Gouffre flows towards the Southwest for a total distance of before reaching the Saint-Laurent at Baie-Saint-Paul. Its course runs along the western boundary of the municipality of Notre-Dame-des-Monts and crosses Saint-Urbain. This river is characterized by its sinuosities and the presence of many rapids. The river Gouffre flows on according to the following segments: Upper course of the river From the mouth of the Lac du Coeur, the Rivière du Gouffre flows over:
northwesterly to the east shore of Lac du Gouffre;
to the south, winding through an agricultural zone, collecting the discharge from the Renaud river and entering an urban zone at the end of the segment, until the confluence of the Bras du Nord-Ouest ;
southerly forming a northeasterly curve to the road bridge;
southeasterly to the confluence of the river.
The Gouffre River empties onto the "Bay Bank" on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River in front of Île aux Coudres. At the confluence of the river, the strike is long to the southeast at low tide. In addition to the confluence of the Rivière du Gouffre, the main rivers flowing over this strike are : Verreault Creek, Rivière du Moulin, Middle Creek, Vases River, Rang Saint-Laurent Creek, Lucien Creek and Bois Blanc Creek. The watershed of the Rivière du Gouffre covers. Its main tributaries are the Le Gros Bras, rivière des Mares and the rivière du Gouffre Sud-Ouest. The total slope of the river is.
Toponymy
The river Gouffre was named by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. Its name refers to the whirlpool that forms at the foot of Cap aux Corbeaux, downstream from the confluence of the river Gouffre, and which was a source of terror for sailors. The toponme "Rivière du Gouffre" was formalized on December 5, 1968 at the Commission de toponymie du Québec.
Recreational tourism activities
The Rivière du Gouffre is an Atlantic salmon fishing river and a trout. At the beginning of the twentieth century, sport fishermen in the Quebec region frequented these waters, which had and still have the reputation of offering large salmon. The population of this species can vary in number significantly from one year to the next. Since 1979, the Association of Conservation of the Valley of the Gouffre manages the salmon fishery. This non-profit organization was formed on March 20, 1979, thanks to the grouping of some forty members. In spring 1979, 100 salmon pits are inventoried in the Rivière du Gouffre. Since then, the ACVG has built 65 of these pits. Pedestrian paths run along the river; picnic tables and shelters have been set up. Two bridges span the river allowing fishermen access to all salmon pits.
