The Colbert river crosses the municipalities of Saint-Elphège and Baie-du-Febvre, in the Nicolet-Yamaska Regional County Municipality (MRC), in the administrative region of Centre-du-Québec, in Quebec, in Canada.

The main neighboring hydrographic slopes of the Colbert river are: The Colbert river draws its head waters from various agricultural streams (notably the Fronteau stream, Daneau stream and cours d'eau Grande Ligne) near the Chemin du rang de la Grande-Plaine, in the municipality of Saint-Zéphirin-de-Courval.

The course of the Colbert River descends on 12.6 kilometres (7.8 mi) generally northwest into an agricultural zone, with a drop of 34 metres (112 ft), according to these segments: The Colbert river empties onto the Batture de la Pierre à Chaux, on the south shore of lake Saint-Pierre, to the southwest of the confluence of the Landroche River, to the northeast of the confluence of the Lévesque River and west of the village of Baie-du-Febvre.

The term "Colbert" constitutes a family name of French origin.

The toponym "Rivière Colbert" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Commission de toponymie du Québec.