North Yamaska River

The North Yamaska river (in French: Rivière Yamaska Nord) is a tributary of the Yamaska river. It flows over on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence river in Quebec, Canada and passes through five municipalities, some of them sourcing their fresh water from it. Like the rest of the Yamaska, it is an important source of life, though urban development, agriculture and industrial uses have had a negative impact on the ecosystem depending on its waters since the colonization of the Eastern Townships. An awakening in regards to pollution in the North Yamaska has led to an increasing amount of movements such as collective art and eco-friendly action around the river; efforts are noted in local municipalities and their regional county municipalities to alter the impacts of towns and villages on water quality. The name "North Yamaska River" (officially Rivière Yamaska Nord) dates from December 5, 1968 (after its inscription at the Commission de toponymie du Québec (toponymy commission of Quebec)); it used to be known as rivière de Granby (Granby river) and rivière de Waterloo (Waterloo river). "Yamaska" can come from Abenaki language and means "there are rushes in the water" or "there is much hay"; these names are a reference to the humid lands of Lavallière bay, where the river's mouth is and the vegetation is abundant. Another possible origin would be Algonquin language "hia muskeg" means "savanna river" or "muddy water river". This tributary arrives from a northern direction when it merges into the Yamaska river. The drainage basin of this river covers 303 km2 and its average mass flow rate is of 0.59 m3/s, its mass flux increases and diminishes according to seasons. The North Yamaska river's source comes from Waterloo lake (lac Waterloo) (altitude: 204 m), located south of the village of Waterloo; its course forms an arc that goes around mont Shefford on the north side.