La Grosse Décharge is a tributary of the rivière à Mars, flowing in the unorganized territory of Lac-Ministuk, in the Le Fjord-du-Saguenay Regional County Municipality, in the administrative region of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, in the province of Quebec, in Canada. The course of "La Grosse Décharge" crosses the northern part of the zec Mars-Moulin. This small valley is served by the "Chemin de la Consol Paper" and the "Chemin des Lac des Maltais". A few other secondary forest roads serve the "La Grosse Décharge" valley, mainly for forestry and recreational tourism activities. Forestry is the main economic activity in this valley; recreational tourism, second. The surface of "La Grosse Décharge" is usually frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March, however the safe circulation on the ice is generally made from mid-December to mid-March.
Geography
The main neighboring watersheds of La Grosse Décharge are:
west side: rivière du Moulin, Pères lake, Bras Henriette.
The "La Grosse Décharge" rises at the mouth of the "Lac de la Grosse Décharge". This lake has a marsh area on the east side. The mouth of this lake is located at:
towards the northeast, in particular by crossing the Pond of the Grosse Décharge, to its mouth which corresponds to the outlet of Lake Hamel;
north-east, crossing artificial lake, up to a dike;
towards the north-east crossing a small lake on, bending towards the east, until the discharge a stream draining in particular lakes Xavier and Colard;
north-east, to the outlet of Lac aux Bleuets ;
eastwards, to the Petite Décharge ;
east almost straight, to its mouth.
The Grosse Décharge pours on the west bank of the rivière à Mars. This confluence is located at:
north-east of the course of the rivière du Moulin;
south-west of the confluence of the rivière à Mars and the Baie des Ha! Ha!;
south-east of downtown Saguenay.
From the confluence of "La Grosse Décharge" with the rivière à Mars, the current follows the course of the rivière à Mars on towards the northwest then towards the northeast, crosses the bay Ha! Ha! on towards the northeast, then the course of the Saguenay River on towards the east until Tadoussac where it merges with the Saint Lawrence Estuary.
