[2] Forestry is the main economic activity in this valley; recreational tourism, second.

The surface of the Gauthier River 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.

The main watersheds adjacent to the Gauthier river are: The Gauthier River rises at the mouth of Lac des Maltais (length: 1.2 km (0.75 mi); altitude: 182 m (597 ft)) in agricultural areas.

This source is located at: From its source, the Gauthier river flows over 23.5 km (14.6 mi) with a drop of 178 m (584 ft) especially in agricultural area, according to the following segments: The Gauthier River flows into the bottom of a small bay of 0.14 km (0.087 mi) on the south bank of the Saguenay River (Battures aux Loups Marins), in the sector of La Baie, either on the west of "Pointe à Gonie".

The toponym "Rivière Gauthier" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.