Manicouagan River
Encyclopedia
The Manicouagan River is a river in Côte-Nord
region of Quebec
, Canada
. The river originates at the Daniel-Johnson Dam
of the Manicouagan Reservoir
and flows approximately 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) south, emptying into the Saint Lawrence River
near Baie-Comeau. Its headwaters are 560 kilometres (348 mi) from the mouth at the head of the Mouchalagane River.
The river's name, often abbreviated to Manic, is believed to come from a Montagnais word meaning "where tree bark is found". However the Innu
of Betsiamites
call it Menukuanistuk Shipu, which means "river of the cup".
, while sailing south, noted the mouth of this large river but gave it no name. In June 1664, Jesuit was the first missionary
to travel upstream of the "Grand Manikouaganistikou River that the French call rivière Noire because of its depth". The next year, he "returned to the mouth of the Manicoüagan in June." The river's spelling has remained fairly constant from then on.
In the early 1950s, the Manicouagan River attracted Hydro-Québec
's attention for hydro-electric
development because of the deep and fast running waters. In 1956, a dam was built at the mouth of Lake Sainte-Anne to regulate the Toulnustouc River, the main left tributary that empties in the Manicouagan between the Manic-2 and Manic-3 dams. Four years later, the main construction work began on the dams and power stations of the Manicouagan River and its neighbor to the west, the Outardes River. By 1978, this project, with a total power supply 4672 MW, was completed.
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
region of 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...
. The river originates at the Daniel-Johnson Dam
Daniel-Johnson Dam
The Daniel-Johnson Dam , formerly known as Manic-5, is a multiple arch buttress dam on the Manicouagan River which creates Manicouagan Reservoir. The dam is composed of 14 buttresses and 13 arches and is north of Baie-Comeau in Quebec, Canada...
of the Manicouagan Reservoir
Manicouagan Reservoir
Manicouagan Reservoir is an annular lake in central Quebec, Canada. The lake covers an area of 1,942 km², and its eastern shore is accessible via Route 389. The island in the centre of the lake is known as René-Levasseur Island, and its highest point is Mount Babel...
and flows approximately 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) south, emptying into the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
near Baie-Comeau. Its headwaters are 560 kilometres (348 mi) from the mouth at the head of the Mouchalagane River.
The river's name, often abbreviated to Manic, is believed to come from a Montagnais word meaning "where tree bark is found". However the Innu
Innu
The Innu are the indigenous inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , which comprises most of the northeastern portions of the provinces of Quebec and some western portions of Labrador...
of Betsiamites
Betsiamites, Quebec
Betsiamites, also known as Pessamit , is a First Nations reserve and Innu community in the Canadian province of Quebec, located about southwest from Baie-Comeau along the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River at the mouth of the Betsiamites River...
call it Menukuanistuk Shipu, which means "river of the cup".
Tributaries
The major tributaries of the Manicouagan River are in upstream order:- Toulnustouc River
- Isoukustouc River
- Fontmarais River
- Lemay River
- Manicouagan ReservoirManicouagan ReservoirManicouagan Reservoir is an annular lake in central Quebec, Canada. The lake covers an area of 1,942 km², and its eastern shore is accessible via Route 389. The island in the centre of the lake is known as René-Levasseur Island, and its highest point is Mount Babel...
- Mouchalagane River
- Seignelay River
- Themines River
History
At the end of August 1535, Jacques CartierJacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
, while sailing south, noted the mouth of this large river but gave it no name. In June 1664, Jesuit was the first missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to travel upstream of the "Grand Manikouaganistikou River that the French call rivière Noire because of its depth". The next year, he "returned to the mouth of the Manicoüagan in June." The river's spelling has remained fairly constant from then on.
In the early 1950s, the Manicouagan River attracted Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
's attention for hydro-electric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
development because of the deep and fast running waters. In 1956, a dam was built at the mouth of Lake Sainte-Anne to regulate the Toulnustouc River, the main left tributary that empties in the Manicouagan between the Manic-2 and Manic-3 dams. Four years later, the main construction work began on the dams and power stations of the Manicouagan River and its neighbor to the west, the Outardes River. By 1978, this project, with a total power supply 4672 MW, was completed.
Hydro-electric dams
There are a number of hydroelectric power plants on the Manicouagan, part of the Manic-Outardes Project:- McCormick generating stationMcCormick DamThe McCormick Dam is a dam and power station built on the Manicouagan river by the Quebec & Ontario Paper Company and the Canadian British Aluminium Company east of Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada. It is named after colonel Robert R...
- 335 MW, owned by Hydro-QuébecHydro-QuébecHydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
and AlcoaAlcoaAlcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
. - Manic 1 generating stationManic-1Manic-1 is a hydroelectric power station and dam at the mouth of the Manicouagan River west of Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada. The power station was commissioned between 1966 and 1967 and producing 184 MW, it is the smallest of the Manicouagan-Outardes project....
- 184 MW, operated by Hydro-Québec. - Jean-Lesage generating station, formerly Manic-2 Power Station - 1024 MW, operated by Hydro-Québec.
- René-Lévesque generating station, formerly Manic-3 Power Station - 1244 MW, operated by Hydro-Québec.
- Manic 4 - Abandoned project
- Daniel-Johnson DamDaniel-Johnson DamThe Daniel-Johnson Dam , formerly known as Manic-5, is a multiple arch buttress dam on the Manicouagan River which creates Manicouagan Reservoir. The dam is composed of 14 buttresses and 13 arches and is north of Baie-Comeau in Quebec, Canada...
:- Manic-5 generating station - 1592 MW, operated by Hydro-Québec.
- Manic-5-PA generating station - 1064 MW, operated by Hydro-Québec.