Rivière la Retenue

Rivère la Retenue
Native nameRivière Laval (French)
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionCapitale-Nationale
Regional County MunicipalityLa Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality
MunicipalityChâteau-Richer, L'Ange-Gardien
Physical characteristics
SourceUnidentified lake
  locationChâteau-Richer
  coordinates47°02′13″N 71°05′51″W / 47.03695°N 71.09756°W / 47.03695; -71.09756
  elevation568 m
MouthFerrée River
  location
L'Ange-Gardien
  coordinates
46°58′16″N 71°07′31″W / 46.97111°N 71.12527°W / 46.97111; -71.12527
  elevation
190 m
Length138 km (86 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  left(Upward from the mouth) Unidentified stream, discharge from an unidentified small lake, discharge from four unidentified small lakes.
  right(Upward from the mouth) Bras du Nord-Ouest (Northwest Arm), unidentified stream, discharge from an unidentified lake.

The rivière la Retenue (English: Retained River) is a tributary of the east bank of the Ferrée river. It flows in the municipalities of Château-Richer and L'Ange-Gardien, in the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Capitale-Nationale, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.

The lower part of this valley is served by roads around Lac la Retenue. The intermediate part which follows the foot of the big mountain, is served by a forest road for the needs of forestry and the maintenance of high-voltage lines of Hydro-Quebec. The upper part, which is difficult to access because of the mountainous terrain, is served by a forest road from the north. Forestry is the main economic activity in this valley; second, recreational tourism.

The surface of the Retained River is generally frozen from the beginning of December until the end of March; however, safe traffic on the ice is generally from mid-December to mid-March. The upper part of the river is subject to a frost period of about a week more due to the altitude. The water level of the river varies with the seasons and the precipitation; the spring flood occurs in March or April.