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The Richelieu River takes its source in Lake Champlain, from which it flows to the north in the province of Quebec, Canada and empties into the St. Lawrence river. It was formerly known as the Iroquois River and the Chambly River.〔 This river was a key route of water transport for cross-border trade between Canada and the United States, until the arrival of the railway in the mid-19th century. Because of its strategic position between New France and New England, several military fortifications were erected on the course of the river. It served as a key pathway for several military tours and was the scene of several battles between the end of the 17th and early 19th centuries, first between the French and the Iroquois, then between the French and the English, during the regime of the New France and finally between the English and the Americans after 1760. ==Geography and hydrography== The Richelieu River has a drainage basin of 2 - including those of Lake Champlain 〔 and Bay Missisquoi (1 289 km2). Of this, 〔 are in the United States, originating in the western slopes of the Green Mountains and the eastern slopes of the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. The Champlain Valley makes up most of the drainage basin. With a length of , the Richelieu River takes its source at the north end of Lake Champlain on the border between Canada (Quebec) and the United States (Vermont and New York state). The river flows through many towns: Lacolle, Île aux Noix, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Chambly, Beloeil, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Ours and Sorel-Tracy where the river empties into the Saint Lawrence River, around 40 km northeast of Montreal and southwest of Quebec City.〔http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/rivers.html/#atlantic〕 The Richelieu River is the largest tributary of the south shore of Saint Lawrence River and drains a large area of southern Quebec. The Quebec portion of the watershed (about 15% of its total area) includes 18 lakes and ponds, as well as forty rivers and tributary streams of the Richelieu. The main Richelieu tributaries are rivers: Acadia, South Huron and Lacolle.〔City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. (" Rivière Richelieu characteristics of the river." ) Retrieved as of March 11, 2011.〕〔The Consultative Committee and recovery of the watershed of the River (COVABAR) Basin. ("Presentation of the territory" ). Retrieved on March 11, 2011.〕 The river's mean discharge is .〔(Atlas of Canada )〕 Nearly 340,000 people across eight Regional county municipalities (RCM in English or MRC in French) and 65 municipalities, live in the Quebec portion of the watershed of the river. The population density (140 inhabitants per km2) is very high compared to that of most other regions of the province of Quebec. Just over 70% of this area is used for agricultural purposes.〔 With the opening of the Chambly Canal in 1843, navigation became possible on the Richelieu between the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain. At the southern end of the lake, the Champlain Canal (opened in 1823) allows for navigation to the Hudson River and, downstream, the city of New York, where the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Chambly, Beloeil, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, and Sorel-Tracy are important communities on its route. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richelieu River」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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