Shields Branch

Shields Branch
Native name	Rivière Saint-Roch(French)
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Mountain stream inSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec,MRCL'Islet Regional County Municipality,Chaudière-Appalaches,Quebec,in Canada
• coordinates	47°06′58″N69°49′37″W
• elevation	444 metres (1,457 ft)
Mouth
• location	Big Black River (Saint John River),Township T15 R15 WELS,Maine,United States
• coordinates	46°55′26″N69°37′48″W
• elevation	263 metres (863 ft)
Length	44.0 kilometres (27.3 mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• right	Frontier brook

TheShields Branch(French:Rivière Saint-RochinQuebec) is a tributary of theBig Black River,flowing in:

• Quebec(Canada): in the administrative region ofChaudière-Appalaches,inL'Islet Regional County Municipality,in the municipalities ofSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec,Saint-Omer, QuebecandSaint-Pamphile, Quebec;
• Maine(United States): in theAroostook County,Township T15 R15 Wels.

Its course is situated between theRochu River(or “Little Saint Rock River” ) (West side) and theGagnon River(West side). This river flows in forested area in a valley encircled byNotre Dame Mountains.

From its source (47°06′58″N69°49′37″W), inL'Islet Regional County Municipality,the river runs south and southeast across theCanada–United States borderin Maine Township 15, Range 15, WELS, to theBig Black Riverin T 14, R 15.

Geography

The upper part of the "Saint Roch River" begins inNotre Dame Mountains,in the municipality ofSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebecin theL'Islet Regional County Municipality(RCM). This source is located at:

• 15.0 kilometres (9.3 mi) Northwest of the border betweenQuebecandMaine;
• 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi) Northeast from the village ofSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec;
• 35.3 kilometres (21.9 mi) Northwest from the confluence of the Saint-Roch River;
• 35.0 kilometres (21.7 mi) Southeast of the village center ofSaint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec.

St. Roch river flows on 44.0 kilometres (27.3 mi) according to the following segments:

Upper river course(segment of 27.6 kilometres (17.1 mi) inQuebec)

From the source in the mountains, the Saint-Roch river flows:

• 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the South inSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec,cutting the path of range Taché East, up to the boundary of the municipality ofSaint-Omer;
• 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) to the South inSaint-Omer,up to the boundary of the municipality ofSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec;
• 150 metres (490 ft) to the South inSainte-Perpétue, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec,up to the confluence of theSaint-Roch Nord River(from the West);
• 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi) to the Southeast, up to the boundary of the municipality ofSaint-Pamphile, Quebec;
• 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) (or 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) in direct line), winding towards the Southeast, up to the bridge of the "Little North range";
• 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) (or 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) in direct line), winding towards the Southeast, up to the bridge of the range of Pelletier;
• 7.3 kilometres (4.5 mi) (or 3.1 kilometres (1.9 mi) in direct line), winding towards the Southeast and straddling the boundary betweenSaint-Omer, QuebecandSaint-Pamphile, Quebec,up to the bridge of the range of Gagnon;
• 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) (or 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) in direct line), winding towards the Southeast, up to the bridge of 6th range;
• 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) to the Southeast, up to the confluence of theGagnon River (Saint Roch River)(from the Southwest);
• 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi) to the Southeast, up to the border betweenQuebecandMaine.

Lower course of the river(segment 16.4 kilometres (10.2 mi) inMainedesignated "Shields Branch" )

From the border betweenQuebecandMaine,the "Shields Branch" runs on:

• 2.0 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the Southeast in theMaine,up to the "Little Saint-Roch River" (from the Northeast). Note: This river takes its source inQuebecwhere it is designatedRochu River;
• 9.3 kilometres (5.8 mi) (or 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi) in direct line) to the Southeast, winding end segment up to the highway bridge;
• 5.1 kilometres (3.2 mi) (or 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) in direct line) up to the Southeast, winding up to the confluence of the river.

The "Shields Branch" flows into a river curve on the North bank of theBig Black River,Township T14 R15 Wels, in theAroostook County.This confluence is located:

• 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) Southeast of the border between Canada and U.S.
• 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) West of the confluence of theBig Black River
• 11.6 kilometres (7.2 mi) Southeast of the village center ofSaint-Pamphile,inQuebec

Toponymy

The place name "Saint-Roch River" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at theCommission de toponymie du Québec(Quebec Places Names Board).

Bibliography

• "Shields Branch".Geographic Names Information System.United States Geological Survey,United States Department of the Interior.September 30, 1980.Retrieved2016-07-17.

See also

• Little Saint Roch River,a stream
• List of rivers of Quebec
• List of rivers of Maine

References

• "Shields Branch".Geographic Names Information System.United States Geological Survey,United States Department of the Interior.30 September 1980.Retrieved2009-10-16.
• Maine Streamflow Data from the USGS
• Maine Watershed Data From Environmental Protection Agency

External links

Media related toShields Branchat Wikimedia Commons

• (in English)Maine Streamflow USGS data
• (in English)Maine Watershed data from the Environmental Protection Agency