The surface of the rivière aux Outardes (except the rapids areas) is generally frozen from the beginning of December to the end of March; however, safe circulation on the ice is generally done from the end of December to the beginning of March.

The water level of the river varies with the seasons and the precipitation; the spring flood occurs in March or April.

The main neighboring hydrographic slopes are: The course of the "Rivière aux Outardes" begins at the confluence of several agricultural streams north of the hamlet Athelstan, east of the Trout River, southeast of the village of Huntingdon, north of the border between Canada and the United States, and south of the route 202.

The river segment between the "Rivière aux Outardes Est" and the mouth, has six rapids zones.

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