The surface of the Petit Saguenay River is usually frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March, however, safe ice circulation is generally from mid-December to mid-March.

The main hydrographic slopes near the Petit Saguenay River are: The Petit Saguenay River has its source in the "Troisième lac des Marais" (Third Marsh Lake) (length: 1.9 km (1.2 mi); altitude: 608 m (1,995 ft)) of various bodies of water in the zec du Lac-au-Sable, then flows east to Sagard.

In 1950, a group of Americans acquired land bordering the river, upstream of the village, and built fishing lodges.

[7] Since 1999, the territory has been established in controlled harvesting zone (zec) and the "Petit-Saguenay River Association" has been managing Atlantic salmon sport fishing since 1966.

The name "Petit Saguenay River" was originally mentioned in 1824 by James McKenzie, at the House of Assembly of Lower Canada who wanted to know more about this sector.

"[9] Surveyor William Tremblay, in his report on the canton of Saint-Jean, in 1893, mentions the "Petit Saguenay River" to identify this watercourse.

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