Noire River (Ottawa River tributary)

The Noire River springs from an unnamed location in wilderness just south of La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve. It flows through Quebec's portion of the Canadian Shield and is marked by sections of rocky whitewater alternated by meandering sections through sand valleys. Typical trees in this area are Black Spruce, Jack Pine, Eastern White Pine, Red Pine, juniper, alder, and birch. The river is undeveloped except the last , where cottages and even an inn line the river. Just before it flows into the Ottawa River, there is dam with a power generating station on the Noire River. ==Paddling the Noire River==

The Noire River is not navigable until the confluence with Coughlin Creek, about from its end. From here, the rapids that can be run are mostly Class 1 or 2 (based on medium water levels). A total of are runnable whitewater. Notable rapids on the Noire are: • km 114, "The Wall" - technical Class 2. • km 100, "Targie" - Class 3 to 2. • km 51, "50-50" - Class 3. • km 40 to 30 - continuous Class 1 and swifts (except in low water) One portage of note is the one around Mountain Chute. One has to take either a long route through arduous terrain or a shorter one that begins at the top of the falls and ends in a steep near-vertical descent requiring ropes. ==Hydroelectric station and dam==

The river has been used for hydroelectric power generation since the beginning of the 20th century and is reputedly the first commercial station in Canada. A high capacity gravity concrete dam was built in 1937 and modified in 1994. The dam is high, long, and has a capacity of . The dam and W.R. Beatty Generating Station are near the mouth of the river at the outlet of Robinson Lake and generate 10.6 MW. Originally owned by the Pembroke Electric Light Company and then the Pontiac Hydro Commission, ==References==