Tonnerre River (Normandin River tributary)

The rivière au Tonnerre (English: Tonnerre River) is a tributary of the Normandin River, flowing into the unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan, Quebec in the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Le Domaine-du-Roy, in the administrative region of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, in Quebec, in Canada.

The Tonnerre River flows entirely in the Township of Ducharme. Forestry is the main economic activity of this valley; recreational tourism activities, second.

The route 167 (northwesterly) connecting Chibougamau to Saint-Félicien, Quebec cuts the middle of the Tonnerre River. The Canadian National Railway runs along this road.

The surface of the Tonnerre River is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice circulation is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

Geography
• The hydrographic slopes adjacent to the Tonnerre River are:

• North side: Coquille River, Coquille Lake, Boisvert River (Normandin River), Armitage River;

• East side: Chaudière River (Normandin River), Atouk Creek, Little Chef's River;

• South side: Bouteville Creek, Normandin River, Poutrincourt Lake, Marquette River West;

• West side: Nicabau Lake, Rohault Lake, Bouteroue Lake, Boisvert River (Normandin River).

• The Tonnerre River originates at the mouth of "Île Ronde Lake" (length: 2.8 km width: 0.5 km altitude: 406 m) in the township of Ducharme. The mouth of this head lake is located at:

• 5.2 km north-east of Nicabau Lake;

• 9.1 km north of the mouth of the "Tonnerre River" (confluence with the Normandin River);

• 23.4 km south-east of Obatogamau Lakes;

• 32.1 km northwest of the mouth of the Normandin River (confluence with Ashuapmushuan Lake);

• 152.8 km northwest of the mouth of the Ashuapmushuan River (confluence with Lac Saint-Jean).

• From the mouth of Round Island Lake, the "Tonnerre River" flows over 12.6 km, according to the following segments:

• 2.3 km towards the Southwest, to the dump (coming from the North-West) of the Crouton lakes, the Pooh, the Bannock, Astier and Carei;

• 2.7 km southeasterly to the outlet (from the southeast) of Wilfrid Lake;

• 2.8 km southwesterly to route 167;

• 2.1 km south by cutting the Canadian National Railway, then crossing Harquail Lake (length: 2.3 km; altitude: 392 m), to its mouth;

• 2.7 km southerly crossing Verreault Lake (elevation: 389 km) along its entire length to its mouth. Note: This lake is also fed by the outlet (coming from the North-East) of Jacques-Drouin, Guitare and Hassels lakes.

• The confluence of the "Tonnerre River" with the Normandin River is located at:

• 1.0 km downstream north-east of the mouth of Nicabau Lake which is crossed by the Normandin River;

• 26.0 km south-west of the mouth of the Normandin River (confluence with Ashuapmushuan Lake);

• 147.8 km west of the mouth of the Ashuapmushuan River (confluence with the lac Saint-Jean);

• 186.7 km northwest of the mouth of lac Saint-Jean (confluence with the Saguenay River).

• The Tonnerre River flows into a small bay on the north shore of the Normandin River, downstream of the dam at the mouth of Nicabau Lake. From there, the current flows south-east along the Normandin River on 38.7 km to the northwestern shore of Ashuapmushuan Lake. Then, the current takes the course of the Ashuapmushuan River which flows to Saint-Félicien, Quebec on the west shore of Lac Saint-Jean.

Toponymy
The term "Normandin" is a family name of French origin.

The toponym "Rivière au Tonnerre" was formalized on June 8, 1971, at the Commission de toponymie du Québec.