Caniapiscau River
Encyclopedia
The Caniapiscau River is a tributary
of the Koksoak River
in Nunavik
, Quebec
, Canada
. In Cree
the name of the river
means rocky point.
Starting from Lac Sevestre (53 km (32.9 mi) south-west from Fermont
) on the Canadian Shield
, the Caniapiscau River flows northward through a wide, timbered glacial
valley
until it makes a sharp turn at its confluence with the Rivière aux Mélèzes
(Larch River). At this point (called Kanniq Confluence), the river becomes the Koksoak River. The total length of the Caniapiscau River is 737 kilometres (458 mi).
Since 1985, the headwaters of the Caniapiscau River have been diverted into the La Grande
hydroelectric complex. The headwaters of the Caniapiscau River, representing about 45% of the total flow, now drain into the La Grande River
of James Bay
. The Caniapiscau Reservoir
, which covers about 4300 km2, or about nine times the size of the natural Lake Caniapiscau, fills a depression in the highest part of the Canadian Shield
. The total catchment basin is about 36800 km2.
Important variations in the water flow of the Caniapiscau River from 1981 to 1984, during the period when the Caniapiscau Reservoir was being filled, may have contributed to the death by drowning of 9,600 migratory woodland caribou
in September 1984 at Chute du Calcaire (about 1,5% of George River herd).
The Caniapiscau River basin has no permanent inhabitants, although Cree
from the James Bay region as well as southern hunters do travel to the area by bush plane
and via the Trans-Taiga Road. From time to time, the river is visited by canoeists
.
, went down the river to its mouth and named it Caniapuscaw River in his diary and map. In 1828, explorer William Hendry identified it as Canniappuscaw. In 1898, the geologist Albert Peter Low
used Kaniapiskau, and by the middle of the 20th century, the current spelling came in use.
The Inuit
call the river Adlait Kuunga or Allait Kuunga, meaning "Indian River". It was also known as Wauguash River.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Koksoak River
Koksoak River
The Koksoak River is a river in northern Quebec, Canada, the largest river in the Nunavik region. The Inuit village and region's administrative center Kuujjuaq lies on the shores of the Koksoak, about south from its mouth.The name Koksoak is believed to originate from Moravian missionaries who...
in Nunavik
Nunavik
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In Cree
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
the name of the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
means rocky point.
Starting from Lac Sevestre (53 km (32.9 mi) south-west from Fermont
Fermont, Quebec
Fermont is a town in northeastern Quebec, Canada, near the Quebec-Labrador border about from Labrador City on Route 389, which connects to the Trans-Labrador Highway...
) on the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
, the Caniapiscau River flows northward through a wide, timbered glacial
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
until it makes a sharp turn at its confluence with the Rivière aux Mélèzes
Rivière aux Mélèzes
The Rivière aux Mélèzes is a river in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. It forms the western part of the large basin of the Koksoak River...
(Larch River). At this point (called Kanniq Confluence), the river becomes the Koksoak River. The total length of the Caniapiscau River is 737 kilometres (458 mi).
Since 1985, the headwaters of the Caniapiscau River have been diverted into the La Grande
James Bay Project
The James Bay Project is a series of hydroelectric development with a combined installed capacity of over 16,000 megawatts built since 1974 for Hydro-Québec by the on the La Grande and other rivers of Northern Quebec....
hydroelectric complex. The headwaters of the Caniapiscau River, representing about 45% of the total flow, now drain into the La Grande River
La Grande River
La Grande River is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, which rises in the highlands of north central Quebec and flows roughly west to drain into James Bay. It is the second largest river in Quebec, surpassed only by the Saint Lawrence River....
of James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
. The Caniapiscau Reservoir
Caniapiscau Reservoir
The Caniapiscau Reservoir is a reservoir on the upper Caniapiscau River in the Côte-Nord administrative region of the Canadian province of Quebec...
, which covers about 4300 km2, or about nine times the size of the natural Lake Caniapiscau, fills a depression in the highest part of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
. The total catchment basin is about 36800 km2.
Important variations in the water flow of the Caniapiscau River from 1981 to 1984, during the period when the Caniapiscau Reservoir was being filled, may have contributed to the death by drowning of 9,600 migratory woodland caribou
Migratory Woodland Caribou
The migratory woodland caribou , also known as the forest caribou or woodland caribou , is a subspecies of the caribou...
in September 1984 at Chute du Calcaire (about 1,5% of George River herd).
The Caniapiscau River basin has no permanent inhabitants, although Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
from the James Bay region as well as southern hunters do travel to the area by bush plane
Bush plane
A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft serving remote, undeveloped areas of a country, usually the African bush, Alaskan and Canadian tundra or the Australian Outback...
and via the Trans-Taiga Road. From time to time, the river is visited by canoeists
Canoe camping
Canoe camping is a combination of canoeing and camping. It is similar to backpacking, but canoe campers travel by canoes or kayaks...
.
Etymology
In 1820, James Clouston, an employee of the Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, went down the river to its mouth and named it Caniapuscaw River in his diary and map. In 1828, explorer William Hendry identified it as Canniappuscaw. In 1898, the geologist Albert Peter Low
Albert Peter Low
Albert Peter Low was a Canadian geologist, explorer and athlete. His explorations of 1893–1895 were important in declaring Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic, and eventually defining the border between Quebec and Labrador....
used Kaniapiskau, and by the middle of the 20th century, the current spelling came in use.
The Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
call the river Adlait Kuunga or Allait Kuunga, meaning "Indian River". It was also known as Wauguash River.
Falls and canyons
Caniapiscau River has several spectacular canyons and waterfalls:- Chute de Facolli - 53°16′35"N 68°18′24"W
- Chute Chambeaux - 53°43′38"N 68°36′52"W
- Upper Gorge - 55° 1′34"N 69°39′ 1"W
- Gorge d'en Bas (Lower Gorge) - 55°30′53"N 68°21′23"W
- Eaton CanyonEaton Canyon, QuebecEaton Canyon is spectacular canyon on Caniapiscau River between Rivière du Sable and Goodwood River, about south of Kuujjuaq and northwest of Schefferville. It was named by Albert Peter Low after his assistant surveyor David Eaton. Politically, it is located in Rivière-Koksoak, Kativik,...
- 55°33′23"N 68°12′15"W - Chute au Granite - 55°50′38"N 68°25′18"W
- Chute aux Schistes - 56°44′39"N 69° 1′ 5"W
- Chute de la Pyrite - 57°26′ 0"N 69°14′33"W
- Chute du Calcaire - 57°28′48"N 69°18′30"W
- Manitou Gorge - 57°33′ 2"N 69°26′38"W
Tributaries
- Rivière Bras de Fer
- Rivière du Sable
- Goodwood River
- Rivière Sérigny
- Rivière Pons
- Rivière Beurling
- Rivière de la Mort
- Rivière Châteauguay
- Swampy Bay River
- Situraviup River
- Forbes River