The Big Black River (French: Grande Rivière Noire) is a river crossing the administrative region of Chaudière-Appalaches in Quebec and in Maine. From its source (46.87722°N, -70.16833°W), in L'Islet RCM, Quebec, the river runs northeast and east across the Canada–United States border in Maine Township 14, Range 16, WELS, to the Saint John River in Northwest Aroostook T 15, R 13. The "Big Black River" flows in: Maine's all-time lowest officially verified temperature of -50 F was recorded at a weather station along the Big Black River on January 16, 2009. The previous record was -48 F, set at Van Buren, on January 19, 1925.

Hydrography

The "Big Black River" is rooted in the Talon Township in the municipality of Sainte-Lucie-de-Beauregard, Quebec, in Notre Dame Mountains. This source is located at: From its source, the "Big Black River" flows on 77.9 km of which 32.9 km in Quebec and 45.0 km in Maine, according to the following segments: Upper course of the Big Black River (segment of 12.2 km in Quebec) Intermediate Course of the Great Black River (segment 20.7 km to Quebec, downstream of the Grand Black River East) Lower course of the Great Black River (segment of 45.0 km to Maine downstream of the Canada-US border) From the Canada-US border, the "Big Black River" flows entirely in forest and mountainous areas of: Big Black River empties into a river bend on the West bank of the Saint John River (Bay of Fundy) in the Township T15 R13 WELS. This confluence is located: From the confluence of the "Big Black River", the Saint John River (Bay of Fundy) flows to the East and Northeast through the Maine, then East and Southeast crossing the New Brunswick. Finally, the current empties on the North bank of the Bay of Fundy which opens to the Southwest on the Atlantic Ocean.

Toponymy

The toponym "Grande rivière Noire" (Big Black River) was officialized as of December 5, 1968, at Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec Place Names Board).