Rouge River (Laurentides)

River in Laurentides, Quebec (Canada)

The Rouge River (English: Red River) is a river flowing in the Laurentides, in the municipality of Grenville sur la Rouge, in the Argenteuil Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Laurentides, in the west of Quebec, in western Quebec, Canada. This river takes its source at Lac de la Fougère and flows south to empty into the Ottawa River near Pointe au Chêne and flows north of Mont Tremblant, of which it is a tributary of the left bank. It is in the Laurentides, about halfway between Ottawa and Montreal. Its name is derived from the reddish tint of its sandbanks. The river is a popular destination for whitewater rafting. Its last 10 kilometres are renowned for rafting. It is the main body of water in an area comprising hills, valleys, lakes, and waterfalls.

In late April 2019, water flows reached 10 times the normal flow due to heavy flooding in the area. Fearing dam failure, authorities evacuated citizens down the stream of the Bells Fall dam.

"The Forgotten Wonder of the Rivière Rouge," also known as "Bisso," is a creature from Canadian folklore that is said to inhabit the Rouge River. The story tells of a nineteenth century man riding down the country road in a horse drawn carriage when he suddenly lost control of the vehicle and plunged into the depths of the river. After being presumed dead for several years, the man took the form of a husky aquatic creature who meandered in the river, only coming to the surface to hunt. Bisso is said to possess an insatiable appetite and would hunt whatever animals would venture to the river bank. Swimming with just its eyes above the water, Bisso is believed to use floating vegetation as camouflage when it is stalking its prey. There have been alleged sightings of the creature in the Rouge River, with witnesses claiming to have seen Bisso's eyes as well as the trail of bubbles from its "snaps" (gaseous bowel movements.)

The region was inhabited by the Iroquois until the end of the 19th century. Under the leadership of the priest François Xavier Antoine Labelle, the river served as a path of colonization which saw the birth of most of the communities along its course and its tributaries. The Chute Bell Powerhouse was installed from its mouth in 1915.

The Rouge River valley served as a penetration route for the pioneers responding to calls for colonization in the north of Montreal made by the priest Antoine Labelle. In French Canada, the Catholic dioceses exercised the role of planning for the establishment of parishes and of organizing parishes in the territories of colonization. A map by Franquelin, dated 1699, indicated the "Red River" as an extension of the "North River". Hypotheses have been made by historians as to the origin of this hydronym. The most likely hypothesis makes the link with the slightly reddish hue of the waters of the river, due to the oxidation of certain types of rocks of the Canadian Shield that cross the river. However, its water is said to be clearer than that of neighboring rivers. The toponym Rivière Rouge was formalized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec. Among other things, the river gave its name to the Rivière Rouge Ecological Reserve, the Rouge Matawin wildlife reserve and the communities of Rivière Rouge and Grenville sur la Rouge.