What a view of the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River. The Saint Lawrence River is one of the most unique reservoirs in the world. Center for French Culture
Saint Lawrence River(fleuve Saint-Laurent fr, Saint Lawrence River en) is a large water artery in North America that flows through the United States and Canada and connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. At the mouth, the width of the river reaches 130 kilometers. The length of the river is 1197 km. The basin area is 1.030 million km².
River features
Sheer cliffs and valleys, meeting with water, form one of the largest fjords in the world - the Saguenay fjord, stretching for almost 100 kilometers. It flows into the St. Lawrence River from the north. powerful river Saguenay, forming an estuary where the ocean tide meets the river current.
According to hydrobiologists, there are two underwater world. Cold and salty ocean water flows through underwater channels at a depth of 400 meters, then breaks out and mixes with fresh water rec.
Beyond Montreal, further inland, for 160 kilometers, the river meets with many rapids. Behind them, for 60 kilometers, the river becomes calmer, making it possible to navigate through an area dotted with islands called the Thousand Islands (the number of islands is estimated to be about two thousand).
Historical and cultural significance
The river bears the name given to it by Jacques Cartier. In addition to the river, this name was also given to the bay into which it flows. After Champlain's travels, the valley of the St. Lawrence River became the center of the French colonization of the region: part of the territory was formed here New France- the province of Quebec with the cities of Montreal, Quebec, Levi and Trois-Rivieres. During Seven Years' War these lands were taken by the British. Despite this, the region continues to be the center French and cultures in North America. The river became the first clear path for fur traders and colonists, and today for huge ocean freighters.
Economic importance
The river basin is one of the most densely populated and developed in Canada; both agriculture is developed here: meat and dairy cattle breeding, grain growing (wheat), and industry. About 20 million people live in the river basin, including about 4 million in Montreal.
Flora and fauna
Beluga whales, fin whales and blue whales can be found on the river. The combination of plants, animals and birds living along the banks of the river is one of the most colorful on earth. The river is home to hundreds of species of fish, more than 20 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 12 species of aquatic mammals. About 300 species of birds nest in the swamps and along the coast.
River navigation
As early as 1680, the colonists thought of expanding the riverbed so that ocean-going ships could pass beyond Montreal along the canals, bypassing the stormy rapids. In 1959, this dream came true and the St. Lawrence Deep Waterway was opened, 293 km long. It is famous as one of the outstanding engineering structures in the world. To build this canal between Montreal and Lake Ontario, seven new locks were installed. More than 150 million cubic meters of earth and stones were excavated, thousands of tons of concrete were poured. Jacques Lestrane, author of the book sea route- the untold story of the fourth North American coast "(Eng.), quoted one captain long-distance navigation who said:
“There is no river like this in the whole world. Although the journey is not such an easy thing, but the splendor of this river, the roar Niagara Falls and an endless series of lakes and islands make it extremely attractive ".
Ocean-going vessels heading down the widened river to Duluth Superior, located in the United States part of Lake Superior, are lifted up to 180 meters above sea level, the height of a 60-story skyscraper. The entire journey from the Atlantic Ocean inland is 3,700 kilometers. Ocean-going ships brought economic prosperity to the cities along the river. The book The Great Lakes - The St. Lawrence River System (English) gives this description:
"On the border of the two states is the industrial heart of Canada and the United States, the population there is more than 100 million people, the river is the largest source of industrial wealth in the Western world".
More than 150 ports along the Atlantic to Lake Superior waterway include Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie, Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and Duluth Superior. Ships from various parts of the world annually deliver millions of tons of cargo along the St. Lawrence River. Using this river system has created tens of thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in revenue annually. In 2013, Canadian authorities allowed post-panamax class vessels to navigate the St. Lawrence River. From now on, navigation between Quebec and Montreal is possible for ships with a width of 44 meters (previously there was a limit of 32.1 m). This greatly enhances the capabilities of the Port of Montreal, which plays a significant role in the North American container shipping market. The decision was made following a study commissioned by the Port Authority and conducted jointly by Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, and two pilot organizations, the Administration de Pilotage des Laurentides and the Corporation des Pilotes du St- Laurent central.
major disaster
During its next voyage on May 29, 1914, the Canadian comfortable passenger liner Empress of Ireland collided with the Norwegian coal carrier Storstad on the St. Lawrence River and sank 14 minutes later at a depth of more than 40 meters. He had on board 1477 people (420 crew members and 1057 passengers). Of this number of passengers and crew members, only 463 survived. The scale of the disaster and the death toll is barely inferior to the disaster of the Titanic and Lusitania.
Thousands of years ago, Eurasia and America were connected by an isthmus. Now only one surface part of the isthmus remains - the island of St. Lawrence. This island belongs to the USA, although it is closer to Russia. Bering discovered the island in 1728 and named it St. Lawrence Island. From time immemorial, a tribe of Eskimos lived on the island - Yuits, they called Sivukak Island.
The island was sold in 1867 along with Alaska to the United States. Saint Lawrence Island- a small piece of land 145 kilometers long and no more than 36 kilometers wide. It is the sixth largest island in the USA. The island cannot boast of a picturesque landscape.
The northern lands are practically devoid of vegetation. But on the island there are many birds and mammals that feed on fish. Anadyr Current brings a lot of fish. The island does not have full-fledged trees, only shrubs no more than 30 cm high. In the south of the island there is a permanent polynya, where the current carries the ice away from the coast.
The population of the island is about 1200 people who live in two cities. They mostly live on the island. Eskimo Yuites. The population is mainly engaged in reindeer herding and whaling. Reindeer were introduced to the island in 1900, providing food security for the inhabitants.
The entire island is currently owned by local residents. All found excavations bring Additional income population. The harsh climate and remoteness from the mainland make life difficult local residents. Although the times of famine are over, the island has a high unemployment rate, and the income level is one of the lowest in the United States. Currently, the island is visited by tourists traveling on attractions in Alaska. Tourists are attracted by the cemetery of abandoned ships.
The Saint Lawrence River can't boast great length. She is equal to everything 1197 km(744 miles). But this water flow is of great economic importance. It connects the Great Lakes North America with the Atlantic Ocean. The river flows out of Lake Ontario and flows into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.. At first it flows state border between the USA and Canada, and then through Canadian territory up to the mouth.
The total length water system is 3058 km. It originates from the source of the North River in Minnesota. It flows into the St. Louis River, which ends its journey in Lake Superior. This distance across the Great Lakes to the Atlantic is equal to the above figure.
Saint Lawrence River on the map
The river got its name "Saint Lawrence" thanks to the French navigator Jacques Cartier(1491-1557). It is he who is considered the founder of Canada, but not the only one. The Italian Giovanni Cabot (1450-1499) and the Frenchman Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) share the palm with him. All of them are equally involved in the development of new lands.
South of the river flowing from Ontario, the Appalachian Mountains stretch. This zone is seismically active. Hence the earthquakes. Over the past 350 years, there have been 6 major perturbations of the earth's crust. The Saint Lawrence River runs through rocky areas and valleys. From the north, the Saguenay River flows into it, flowing from Lake St. John. The Saguenay Valley for 100 km looks like a fjord with a depth of up to 300 meters. The whole length of this major inflow equals 314 km.
mighty water current, water carrier to the Atlantic, fed from the waters of Lake Champlain, located in the United States. The rivers also flow into it: Ottawa, Richelieu, Saint-Francois. This also includes Lake Saint-Louis, located south of Montreal, and Lake St. Francis. The river has a huge number of islands. Including the island of Montreal and Ile Jesus.
From Montreal towards Ontario, many rapids have been observed on the river at all times. Therefore, shipping was carried out only as far as Montreal. The people put an end to this in 1959. was put into operation St. Lawrence Canal. This is not even a channel, but a whole system of channels. The building is very complex from an engineering point of view. It consists of locks and water sections between them. All of them are interconnected and enable sea vessels enter Lake Ontario. The length of the canal from Montreal to Kingston is 293 km.
Saint Lawrence River
But the canal system is not limited to this small area. For maritime navigation, the Great Lakes became suitable up to Lake Superior. This explains the economic significance of the mighty river. It is through it that a huge number of goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars are delivered deep into the mainland. The entire economy of the region is directly connected to the river flowing from Ontario.
On this waterway sometimes happen and tragedy. The largest of them took place in 1914. Passenger liner The Empress Areland collided with a Norwegian freighter. The liner has operated flights between Canada and England since 1906. It was distinguished by increased comfort and high speed characteristics. The tragedy itself happened on May 29, 1914. ocean ship sank 14 minutes after collision. There were 1477 people on board. 1014 people died.
The ship was heading from Quebec to open ocean. There was heavy fog on the river. At 2 o'clock in the morning, near the town of Rumiski, the nose of the Storstadt coal carrier crashed into the starboard side of the ship. From the rapidly sinking liner, only 4 boats with passengers were launched. A huge ocean colossus sank at a depth of 40 meters. It was one of the largest water disasters of the 20th century. Thus, even on the rivers, tragedies sometimes occur that are in no way inferior in scale to maritime disasters.
The mouth of the river is wide and reaches almost 140 km. It passes into the Gulf of St. Lawrence behind the city of Quebec. But until the city of Matan, this waterway continues to be called a river. The point here is that the water for the most part stays fresh. And only further, where the water surface really spreads in breadth and not only fish, but also whales come across in it, people already say "bay" and not "river".
Ocean liner in the Thousand Islands
Many tourists come to this corner of the world every year. Most of them visit the national park called the Thousand Islands. In fact, there are almost 2 thousand of them, but the exact number in different sources is different. They stretch from the city of Kingston downstream for almost 90 km. On some islands towering castles built in a wide variety of architectural styles. Today, most of them serve as hotels.
The St. Lawrence River occupies a basin equal to 1 million 344.3 thousand square meters. km. This figure includes the system of the Great Lakes, and those rivers that flow into them. The basin covers the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as the US states of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New York. All these administrative formations are inextricably linked with a mighty water stream that crosses the northeastern part of the mainland and ends its journey in the waters of the Atlantic.
Stanislav Lopatin
St. Lawrence Length: 1,197 kilometers.
St. Lawrence Basin area: 1,290,000 square kilometers.
Where does the Saint Lawrence River flow? one of the greatest, originates from Lake Ontario, at 44 ° 10` and 76 ° 30` west longitude, carries the waters of four Canadian lakes to northeast direction, to and, at the same time, serves as the source of five huge lakes. If we take as its source the St. Louis River, the largest of the rivers flowing into the Upper Lakes, then the length of its course with all the bends is 3,360 kilometers, with a basin of 367,000 square kilometers.
In different parts of its course, the St. Lawrence River bears various names; between and Upper lakes is called St Mary, between Huron and Erie - St Clair and Detroit, between Erie and Ontario - Niagara, and only from Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence; the length of the river flow from this point to the confluence with the bay = 1197 kilometers, of which 560 kilometers are lake-like deep reaches, having a width of 15 kilometers. When leaving Ontario, the St. Lawrence channel is so wide that it is called Thousand Island Lake (1,620 islands). Then they lie again on the path of the river, which here forms the rapids of Long Salt and Big Pitch. Below Cornwall and St. Regis, where the river enters the region, the St. Lawrence River expands its channel to 15 kilometers and forms Lake St. Francis, at the end of which rapids run, then there is a waterfall of Lake St. Louis.
In general, for the entire distance between Lakes Ontario and Montreal, navigation is hampered by rapids, of which Cedar and Lachine are significant, the latter 15 km from the city. Before reaching Montreal, the St. Lawrence River takes in the river, with which it forms many islands here, on one of which lies Montreal. Having further absorbed the Richelieu and Saint Maurice rivers, the Saint Lawrence River expands into Lake (20 km wide) Saint Peter, from which they already begin. At Quebec, the river divides into 2 branches, forming the island of Orleans; 150 kilometers further there is the last rapid, Richelieu. At 37 km below, the water becomes already brackish, and 135 km further, at St. Paschal, it is quite salty. The extreme points of the St. Lawrence River in the south are Cape Rosa, and in the north are the islands of Mingan, Cap-Sha and Mont Peles.
The St. Lawrence River takes in the waters of 60 tributaries and flows into the Gulf of St. Lawrence with the widest branch in the world, at 49 ° 30` north latitude and 64 ° west longitude. The difference between the height of Lake Ontario and the seashore is about 80 meters, and it is overcome through channels ranging in length from 1.5 to 18 km (about 65 km of channels in total). There is a channel between Ontario and Erie, Lake St. Clair and the St. Marie rapids, between and Michigan. Through r. Sorel or Richelieu and Chambly Canal large ships walk from the St. Lawrence River to Champlain Lake, connected by a canal to the Hudson River. Navigation on the St. Lawrence River stops for 4 - 5 months, due to ice drift.
St. Lawrence's way of eating: snow-rain.
Tributaries of the Saint Lawrence: The St. Lawrence River takes in the waters of 60 tributaries, of which the most important are: Ottawa (1200 kilometers long), St. Maurice, Batiscan, Saginay.
Freezing Saint Lawrence: It freezes in late October - early November, opens from early April to early May.
The Saint Lawrence River occupies a place of honor among largest reservoirs North America. The water artery connects the group of the Great Lakes of the continent with the Atlantic. The mighty water flow not only unites the United States and Canada, but is also of great economic importance to their interior regions and has a rich hydroelectric potential.
Geographical position
The area where the St. Lawrence River is located is the cradle of French Canada. The territory is famous for the largest reserves of fresh water on the mainland. It is here, in the northeast of the continent, that one of the greatest and full-flowing rivers of North America begins.
Its basin covers a large waterway through the expanses of the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. From the farthest source US states Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Wisconsin. Its channel runs through the territory of a seismically active zone, where earthquakes occur up to five points on the Richter scale. In the relief of a large reservoir, a huge number of underwater rocks and rapids. The activity under the river is especially distinguished, where the flow process is associated with the movement tectonic plates. The length of the water body is about 1200 km and runs between the parallels of 44 s. sh. and 48 s. sh. in the western hemisphere of the planet. The reservoir basin has 60 tributaries.
This is the most populous region in Canada, where the leading branches of agriculture and industry have formed in the valley. The largest tributaries of the hydrological facility are the Ottawa and Richelieu rivers.
Climatic conditions
Stretching in a latitudinal direction, the St. Lawrence River is completely in a temperate climate zone with distinct seasons. The average area temperature in July is +21 o C, in January +4 o C. Summer is not hot, rainy, winter is cold, with unstable weather and heavy snowfalls. A sharp change in atmospheric pressure leads to the formation of severe storms.
The supply of the hydrological object is predominantly rain-fed, supplemented by the snow type. The regime of the reservoir directly depends on the time of year, the amount and types of precipitation. In summer, they are 1250 mm. The lowest water level in the river (low water) falls on the month of May. Freezes Saint Lawrence in winter period on the section between the cities of Canada, Quebec and Montreal.
Historical reference
The discovery and study of the hydrological object belongs to French travelers and merchants of the 16th century. Championship - one of the discoverers of Canada - Jacques Cartier. Thanks to the perseverance and determination of the French colonizer, the St. Lawrence River and the bay of the same name were described and mapped.
The water artery was opened on June 9, 1534, and officially the toponym received the name of the saint on the day of his celebration on August 10, 1535. After three expeditions to carefully study coastline reservoir began the process of colonization of the territory. It was Jacques Cartier who first discovered the waterway of the great North American state of Canada. The Saint Lawrence River has become a symbol European study central regions this country and the cause of discord between France and Great Britain.
Source
The mighty water stream is not just the main artery of the country, it is beautiful canyons, islands, indented by fjords. Where the water stream rushes is known, but where the run begins, opinions differ. The most common version is that the object forms a wide channel from Lake Ontario. The smallest reservoir of the Great Lakes system gives life to a new geographical feature and this is the Saint Lawrence River.
Who discovered the coordinates of the source is a moot point, but they are 44°11′06′′ s. sh. and 76°33′03′′ W e. Since the Great Lakes are a huge freshwater system connected short rivers, then hydrologists take the beginning of the St. Louis River as the source. Therefore, the length of the reservoir increases and is more than 3000 km. At different sections of the flow, the water body changes its name, corresponding to the terrain and relief. Cascades of lakes and islands make the giant river especially interesting, attractive and mysterious.
mouth
Mighty and deep river St. Lawrence looking for a way out Atlantic Ocean, forming one of the longest mouths of the planet with coordinates 48°02′16′′ s. sh. and 69°34′27′′ W e. In the bay, it cuts 130 km deep into the mainland and is completely located on the territory of Canada. On the way to the ocean, the slope of the river drops in terms, the topography of the bottom of the reservoir changes, which leads to the formation of branches, river islands and channels. The indented banks of the mouth are associated with the ancient glaciation of past eras. With the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the mouth connects behind the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec with the same name. This is not only a unique natural structure, but also an important shipping channel.
Flora and fauna
The reservoir is so unusual in the diversity of the animal and flora, which is considered one of the most unique. Not on every river you can admire blue whales, their relatives - ordinary minke whales and beluga whales. Saint Lawrence is rich in Atlantic sturgeon and lake salmon, cod, haddock and trout. The river is home to hundreds of species of small fish, about 12 representatives of aquatic mammals, more than 300 species of birds. For a close acquaintance with the fauna of the object, you can view documentary"Salmon from the St. Lawrence River". The film allows you to see beautiful landscapes, learn about the life problems of the local population.
The coastal zone of the river is covered with herbaceous vegetation, and the entire path of the reservoir to the sea is accompanied by forests of coniferous and deciduous species. Fir, black spruce, cedar, American larch, arborvitae grow at the mouth of the river. In the middle reaches, sugar maples, chestnuts, birches, and aspens stand out.
Saint Lawrence River: how to get there?
You can visit a unique natural creation by flying a distance of 7510 km. From Moscow to New York with a transfer or directly to Canadian Toronto, spending 9 hours. The flight is operated by Aeroflot, Transaero and Delta Airlines. But it should be remembered that the time difference between cities is 8 hours, and the reservoir is far beyond the ocean.
Upon arrival in Canada, you can get to the object by land transport of the excursion direction. But tourists will get the most vivid impressions by water travel. What is interesting about the Saint Lawrence River? How to get to destination planned route? What to watch out for and what to travel on - to choose exclusively for the tourist. Most importantly, any mode of transport can deliver to the most interesting places great river uniting two powerful countries.
Tourist Opportunities
St. Lawrence Pond - a gem natural world Canada. Those who want to get acquainted with the unique natural object, to penetrate into the very heart of the Great Lakes will help regular river cruise. It provides an opportunity to get not only informative information, but also new impressions.
And what emotions does a visit to the Canadian national park Thousand Islands! Beautiful place on the shore with its legends and the divine beauty of virgin nature, where the St. Lawrence River flows. Photos taken as a keepsake will delight for a long time, cheer you up and resurrect bright moments from the life of the Iroquois Indians.
Unforgettable impressions will be received by tourists by visiting the first national park protecting marine life- Saguenay-St. Lawrence. Beautiful place to study and get acquainted with the life of whales, dolphins, birds - blue herons, herring gulls. Throughout the course of the river, tourists are accompanied by islands where you can admire castles, unusual houses, and park landscapes.
The main feature of the river is the canal system that connects the lakes along the way. This makes it possible for ocean-going vessels to move to the hinterland of the country to Lake Superior. Thanks to such engineering structures, the water body can rightfully be considered the most navigable body of water in North America.
