St. Lawrence River

The St. Lawrence River (French: Fleuve Saint-Laurent) is a big river in North America. It connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The river flows from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It passes through parts of Canada and the United States. Part of the river forms the border between these two countries.

The St. Lawrence River is very important. It carries a lot of water and has the second most water flow of any river in North America, after the Mississippi River. The place where the river meets the ocean is the largest in the world. Along the river, you can find natural wonders, such as the Thousand Islands, special areas where whales live, and tall rock formations called the Mingan Archipelago.

For a long time, the St. Lawrence River has been used for travel. It played a big role in the history of Canada and helped cities like Montreal and Quebec City grow. Today, many ships use the river. This is possible because of a system of locks and canals called the St. Lawrence Seaway. It helps ships from around the world reach ports near the Great Lakes.

Etymology

The St. Lawrence River has had many names throughout history. Local First Nations gave it different names before European explorers came. In the 1500s, French explorers called it names like the Grand fleuve de Hochelaga and the Grande rivière du Canada.

We call it the St. Lawrence River today because explorer Samuel de Champlain wrote about it in 1604. The name comes from a bay that Jacques Cartier reached on August 10th, the feast day of Saint Lawrence in 1535.

Different Indigenous groups have their own names for the river. For example, the Innu-aimun call it Wepistukujaw Sipo, and the Abenaki call it Moliantegok. The river has many special names in various Indigenous languages.

Geography

The St. Lawrence River is a big river in North America that links the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. It starts at Lake Ontario and ends at the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In winter, ice forms on the river.

The river is about 3,058 kilometres (1,900 miles) long. It touches parts of Canada like Ontario and Quebec, and many U.S. states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Michigan. The river has several lakes and many islands.

Marine weather

In winter, the St. Lawrence River starts to freeze in December between Montreal and Quebec City. The ice moves toward the estuary and covers the Gulf of St. Lawrence by January and February.

Watershed

The St. Lawrence River formed when the Champlain Sea drained away after the last ice age, known as the Last Glacial Maximum. Today, it begins at the outflow of Lake Ontario and flows past many towns and cities before reaching the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The river is affected by tides near Quebec City.

The river is 3,058 kilometres (1,900 miles) long from its source to the ocean. Its drainage area is huge, including the Great Lakes. It covers parts of Canada and the United States and includes several lakes and many islands.