Inconnue River (Maicasagi River tributary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inconnue |
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Watershed of Nottaway River
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lake La Ribourde Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality), Nord-du-Québec, Quebec 341.7 m (1,121 ft) 49°52′43″N 75°43′49″W / 49.87861°N 75.73028°W |
| River mouth | Maicasagi River Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality), Nord-du-Québec, Quebec 268 m (879 ft) 49°57′44″N 76°16′04″W / 49.96222°N 76.26778°W |
| Length | 68.5 km (42.6 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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The Inconnue River (French: Rivière Inconnue) is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Maicasagi River. The river is located in the large area known as Eeyou Istchee Baie-James. This region is in the Nord-du-Québec administrative area of Quebec.
The Inconnue River flows through several different land areas called townships. These include Ribourde, Daine, Krieghoff, Montalambert, La Rouvillière, and Monseignat.
You can reach the area around the Inconnue River by secondary roads. One road runs along the north side of the Waswanipi River. It connects to Road 113, which goes between Lebel-sur-Quévillon and Chibougamau. Another road, R1018, comes from Matagami and crosses the Maicasagi River.
The Inconnue River usually freezes over in early November. It stays frozen until mid-May. However, it is generally safe to travel on the ice from mid-November to mid-April.
Contents
Exploring the Inconnue River's Geography
This section describes the land and water features around the Inconnue River.
Nearby Waterways and Lakes
The Inconnue River is surrounded by many other important rivers and lakes. These are part of its "hydrographic slopes," which means the areas that drain water into or are connected to the river.
- North side: Yapuouichi Lake, Maicasagi River, Huguette Creek, La Trêve River.
- East side: La Trêve Lake, La Trêve River, Caupichigau River, Chibougamau River.
- South side: Waswanipi River, Lake Waswanipi.
- West side: Goéland Lake (Waswanipi River), Waswanipi River, Nomans River.
Where the Inconnue River Starts
The Inconnue River begins at a lake called Lac La Ribourde. This lake is about 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) long. It sits at an elevation of about 335 meters (1,099 feet) above sea level. Daine Lake is connected to Lac La Ribourde on its east side.
The source of the Inconnue River is:
- About 70 km (43.5 mi) east of where the Maicasagi River meets Maicasagi Lake.
- About 40 km (24.9 mi) southeast of where the Inconnue River flows into the Maicasagi River.
- About 140 km (87 mi) north of the town of Matagami.
How the River Flows
From Lac La Ribourde, the Inconnue River flows for about 68.5 kilometers (42.6 miles).
The Upper Part of the River
The first part of the Inconnue River stretches for about 35.8 kilometers (22.2 miles).
- It flows east for 12.1 km (7.5 mi), going through Inconnue Lake.
- Then, it winds southwest for 9.8 km (6.1 mi).
- It continues west for 7.8 km (4.8 mi) in Montalembert Township.
- Finally, it crosses Capisisit Lake for 6.1 km (3.8 mi).
The Lower Part of the River
The second part of the Inconnue River covers about 32.7 kilometers (20.3 miles).
- It flows west for 7.1 km (4.4 mi).
- Then, it goes southwest for 5.4 km (3.4 mi).
- It turns west, then north, for 13.4 km (8.3 mi) until it meets the Nomans River.
- The river then flows north for 6.8 km (4.2 mi) to its mouth.
Where the Inconnue River Ends
The Inconnue River flows into the south bank of the Maicasagi River. The Maicasagi River then flows west into Maicasagi Lake. From there, the water travels southwest through the Max Passage into Goéland Lake (Waswanipi River). The Waswanipi River flows through Goéland Lake and is a tributary of Matagami Lake.
The mouth of the Inconnue River is located:
- About 20.6 km (12.8 mi) northeast of where the Maicasagi River meets Maicasagi Lake.
- About 48.4 km (30.1 mi) northeast of the mouth of Goéland Lake (Waswanipi River).
- About 38.2 km (23.7 mi) northwest of the village of Waswanipi.
- About 100.6 km (62.5 mi) north of downtown Matagami.
The Name of the Inconnue River
The word "toponymy" means the study of place names. The name "Rivière Inconnue" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968. This happened when the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec's Place Names Commission) was created.
