Besides the village areas, forestry and agriculture are the main economic activities in this valley. The surface of the Salmon River is usually frozen from mid-December to mid-March, except the rapids areas; however, safe circulation on the ice is generally from late December to early March.
Geography
The Rivière au Saumon rises in Danger Lake, near the United States border and flows north over a distance of to its confluence with the Saint-François River. The hydrographic slopes neighboring the "Rivière au Saumon" are:
The "Rivière au Saumon" is divided into two arms, the southern branch, near Chartierville and the eastern branch. It is subject to floods and sudden drops, submerging a large expanse of lowland that borders its banks. It was navigated by fishing boats and offered the settlers who lived on its shores a good means of transport. It is joined by the Ditton River near the village of La Patrie, and continues towards Scotstown, Lingwick, where it is crossed by the McVetty-McKenzie Bridge near Fontainebleau, then flows into the Saint-François River at Weedon. Its flow being more pronounced than that of the Saint-François River, many spring floods occur in this sector. From the mouth of Danger Lake, the course of the Salmon River descends on, with a drop of, according to the following segments: Upper course of the salmon river
to the west, forming numerous very small streamers crossing a variety of forest and agricultural areas, entering the municipality La Patrie, as well as collecting the Morin stream, to the confluence of the Chesham river ;
to the west, forming a slight and large curve to the north, collecting the Audet, Desaultels, Beauregard rivers as well as the Ditton River, forming a hook towards the north, up to a bend in the river;
north first in the agricultural zone, crossing the route 212 East at to the east from the center of the village of La Patrie, to Fortier stream. Note: This segment of the river passes on the west side of Mont-Mégantic National Park;
towards the north-west, forming two loops towards the east, collecting the mountain stream, up to the McLoed stream ;
towards the north-west by entering the municipality of Hampden, by forming a loop towards the north-east, then by entering the municipality of Scotstown, to a bend corresponding to a widening of the river on the northeast side of the village of Scotstown and to the outlet of Dell Brook. Note: On this last segment, the course of the river delimits the western part of Marécage des Scots Regional Park;
westward crossing on the north side of the village of Scotstown, then descending into a deep valley, entering Lingwick, collecting the Dutch creek and Bown Creek, to a bend in the river, located at the bottom of a loop facing west;
to the northwest route 108, cutting it by forming a loop before collecting McGill stream, the mouth of which is located west of the center of the hamlet Gould, up to a bend in the river;
to the north, bypassing an island and forming a loop to the east, to a stream ;
first towards the northwest by entering Weedon, cutting the path of the Rivière au Saumon at south of the village center of Fontainebleau, then west, to its mouth.
