Dorés Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dorés Lake |
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Watershed of Nottaway River
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 Dorés Lake
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Chibougamau |
| Coordinates | 49°51′09″N 74°21′05″W / 49.85250°N 74.35139°W |
| Type | Natural |
| Primary inflows |
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| Primary outflows | Chibougamau River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 21.3 kilometres (13.2 mi) |
| Max. width | 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) |
| Surface area | 40 kilometres (25 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 378 metres (1,240 ft) |
Lac aux Dorés (which means Dorés Lake in English) is a freshwater lake. You can find it in the city of Chibougamau, in a region of Quebec, Canada, called Jamésie. The lake stretches across parts of Roy, McKenzie, and Obalski townships.
This area is popular for fun outdoor activities and tourism. Mining is also an important industry here.
Getting to Lac aux Dorés is easy. You can use forest road route 167 on the west side. This road connects Chibougamau to Saint-Félicien, Quebec. It also links up with route 113, which goes through Chapais, Quebec. A Canadian National train track runs right next to route 167.
The lake usually freezes over from early November. It stays frozen until mid-May. But it's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-November to mid-April.
Exploring Lac aux Dorés: Size and Location
Lac aux Dorés is a pretty big lake! It is about 21.3 kilometres (13.2 mi) long. At its widest point, it measures 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) across. The lake sits at an elevation of 378 metres (1,240 ft) above sea level.
The lake has several interesting bays:
- In the northeast: Hello Bay (where water from Chibougamau Lake enters), Bateman Bay, Dizon Bay, and Proulx Bay.
- In the middle: Cedard Bay.
- In the southwest: Hidden Bay, McQuade Bay, Malouf Bay, Guthrie Bay, and Ballicky Bay.
There are also a few islands in the lake:
- Merrill Island is in the northeast.
- Hamel Island and Noll Island are in the central part.
The water from Lac aux Dorés flows out from Malouf Bay. This bay is in the southwest part of the lake. From there, the water joins the Chibougamau River.
Let's look at where the lake's mouth is located:
- It's about 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) south of Obalski hamlet.
- It's 13.8 kilometres (8.6 mi) south of downtown Chibougamau.
- It's 32.4 kilometres (20.1 mi) east of the village of Chapais, Quebec.
- It's 112.8 kilometres (70.1 mi) northeast of where the Chibougamau River meets the Opawica River.
- It's 362 kilometres (225 mi) southeast of the mouth of the Nottaway River.
Water from nearby areas flows into Lac aux Dorés. These areas include:
- To the north: Gilman Lake, Bourbeau Lake, and the Chibougamau River.
- To the east: Chibougamau Lake.
- To the south: Chibougamau Lake, the Chibougamau River, and the Énard River.
- To the west: David Lake, Caché Lake, and Simon Lake.
The Story Behind the Name
The name "Lac aux Dorés" has an interesting history. In 1870, a team looking for minerals explored this area. James Richardson, a member of the team, wrote about the lake. But he didn't give it a name then.
In the early 1900s, groups from the Cree community started living around the lake. In 1901, a surveyor named Henry O'Sullivan described the lake. He noted that it was surrounded by tall mountains to the north and east. A few years later, people found copper, silver, and gold deposits nearby.
By 1914, a report mentioned the name "Lac Doré." This name came from the main type of fish caught there. The fish was likely the walleye, which is called "doré" in French.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the town of Chibougamau grew a few kilometers northwest of the lake. Many mining sites were developed around Lac aux Dorés. Sometimes, the lake was also called Lac Obalski.
The official name, "Lac aux Dorés," was made formal on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a naming committee for places in Quebec.
