The Goulais River (Pronounced: goo-lee) is a river in northern

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada, which rises in the Algoma highlands and empties into Goulais Bay on eastern

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...

near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It is one of the largest tributaries on the eastern lake, draining an area of approximately . The river and its tributaries were used to transport logs to local

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

s during the second half of the 19th century. The Algoma Central Railway travels up the river valley on its way to the Agawa canyon. Goulais River aerial

At one time, the river was an important spawning area for lake sturgeon. However, logging operations, fishing and the installation of an electric barrier to prevent sea lampreys from travelling upstream (removed in 1960) have reduced sturgeon activity in the river. The river is used for recreational

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the term ...

ing,

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...

ing, and swimming, and the headwaters and parts of the river have been protected by the Goulais River Provincial Park. The river's name is thought to come from the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

word ''goulet'' or "narrow passage", which is also the source of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

words "

gully A gully is a landform created by running water, mass movement, or commonly a combination of both eroding sharply into soil or other relatively erodible material, typically on a hillside or in river floodplains or terraces. Gullies resemble lar ...

" and " gullet". The

called the area at the river's mouth ''Anse de la pêche'' or "Fish Inlet". The Goulais River is a popular yellow pickerel fishing area. The river is also home to bass, brook trout, and other species.

Goulais River Provincial Park

Since 2003, a section of the river is protected in the Goulais River Provincial Park. It is a waterway park consisting of a strip of land along both shores of the river. Some of its features includes shoreline wetlands, falls, a lake section, and stretches through

talus slopes Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ha ...

and bedrock resembling rock gardens. It is home to a self-sustaining

brook trout The brook trout (''Salvelinus fontinalis'') is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus ''Salvelinus'' of the salmon family Salmonidae. It is native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada, but has been introduced elsewhere ...

population. As a non-operating park, there are no visitor facilities and services. The park is part of the Algoma Headwaters Signature Site, that also includes the Algoma Headwaters Provincial Park, Aubinadong-Nushatogaini Rivers Provincial Park, and the Ranger North Conservation Reserve.

References

External links

* {{Ontario parks Rivers of Algoma District

Goulais River Provincial Park

See also

References

External links