James Bay Project facts for kids

The spillway of the Robert-Bourassa Dam (formerly La Grande-2)

The James Bay Project (French: projet de la Baie-James) is a huge construction project in Quebec, Canada. It built many hydroelectric power stations on the La Grande River. These stations use the power of flowing water to make electricity. The project also changed the path of nearby rivers, sending their water into the La Grande River. This area is located between James Bay to the west and Labrador to the east. It's a massive project, covering an area as big as New York State. It is one of the largest hydroelectric systems in the world. Building it cost over US$20 billion. It can make 16,527 megawatts of electricity. If all the planned dams were built, it could make 27,000 MW, making it the biggest in the world. Hydro-Québec, a company owned by the government, has been building it since 1974.

The project is in a region about 1,000 km (620 mi) north of Montreal. This area is home to the Cree and Inuit people. The La Grande River area is huge, covering about 177,000 square kilometers (68,000 sq mi). This is bigger than Florida. The first part of the project, built around 1971, cost about $13.7 billion (in 1987 Canadian dollars). The eight power stations of the La Grande Complex make about 83 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year. This is enough to power a small country like Belgium. These power stations make almost half of all the electricity Hydro-Québec produces.

Building the James Bay Project caused big disagreements with the 5,000 Crees and 4,000 Inuit people of Northern Quebec. They were worried about their land rights, their way of life, and the environment. In 1973, a court decision went against the Quebec government. This made the government, led by Robert Bourassa, negotiate an important agreement. This agreement, called the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, involved the Cree, Inuit, Quebec and Canadian governments, Hydro-Québec, and the company building the project. Later, the Naskapi First Nations also joined. In the 1990s, strong opposition from the Crees and environmental groups stopped the Great Whale Project. This was a plan for a new 3,000 MW power complex north of the La Grande River.

In February 2002, the Quebec government and the Grand Council of the Crees signed a new agreement called the Peace of the Braves. This agreement created a new relationship between Quebec and the Crees. It also set rules for building three new power stations between 2003 and 2011. These were the Eastmain-1, Eastmain-1-A, and Sarcelle stations. The agreement also allowed for changing the path of the Rupert River.

Geography of James Bay
History of the Project
The Project's Phases
Hydro-electric Installations
Environmental Impacts
Social Impact
See also

Geography of James Bay

The James Bay region is also known as Jamésie. It is a large area of about 350,000 square kilometers (135,000 sq mi). It stretches from the 49th to the 55th parallel. James Bay is on its western side. The land here is mostly flat. It has a coastal plain about 150 km (93 mi) wide. There is also a rolling plateau that reaches up to 400 m (1,300 ft) high. The Otish Mountains are in the east, with peaks up to 1,100 m (3,600 ft).

This area is part of the Canadian Shield. It is made mostly of very old igneous and metamorphic rocks. Ice ages have shaped the land. The last one ended about 6,000 years ago. They left behind loose materials like moraines, clay, silt, and sand. They also changed the rivers and lakes in the area.

The climate here is subarctic. Winters are long, lasting from late October to early May. Summers are short and mild. The average temperature in July is 13.6 °C (56.5 °F). In January, it drops to -22.9 °C (-9.2 °F). The area gets about 765 mm (30.1 in) of rain and snow each year. About a third of this is snow. Snow depths can be 50 to 100 cm (20-40 in) in winter. This area has discontinuous permafrost. This means some parts of the ground are always frozen.

Earthquakes are rare here. A magnitude 5 earthquake happened in 1941. It was about 150 km (93 mi) from the La Grande-3 power station. However, some small earthquakes happened when the reservoirs were first filled. In 1983, a magnitude 4 tremor was recorded near the LG-3 dam.

History of the Project

Early Planning

From 1950 to 1959, a team studied the Nottaway, Broadback, and Rupert Rivers. They looked at how much water these rivers carried. They also considered diverting these rivers to the Saint-Maurice River to make more electricity.

In 1963, Hydro-Québec took over these studies. Other projects, like the Manicouagan-Outardes project, were easier and cheaper. So, Hydro-Québec spent less money on the James Bay rivers at first. But in 1967, they increased their work on the La Grande and Eastmain rivers. Many people were sent by helicopter and seaplane to remote areas. They studied the land to find good spots for power plants. Even with budget cuts, the company continued its planning. Early information showed a lot of potential for development.

Project Announcement

On December 16, 1969, Robert Bourassa, a politician, met with the head of Hydro-Québec, Roland Giroux. Bourassa was planning to become the leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec. After this meeting, he became convinced that the James Bay project was a good idea. He made it a big part of his campaign. Bourassa won the election in April 1970. His time as Premier of Quebec became strongly linked to building hydroelectric projects, especially the James Bay project.

Bourassa believed that Quebec's economy depended on using its natural resources. He also thought that Quebec would need a lot more electricity by 1983. So, he saw the James Bay project as a way to help the economy and meet future energy needs.

Six months after becoming Premier, Bourassa started working on the details. He met secretly with Hydro-Québec leaders. In October 1970, he went to New York City to get money for the project. At that time, it was expected to cost between $5 to $6 billion.

Bourassa told his government about the plan in March 1971. He suggested hiring the US engineering company Bechtel to manage the construction. The project was announced on April 30, 1971, at a Liberal party meeting. People were very excited about it.

Choosing the Rivers

Two main options were considered for the project. One was to build on the Nottaway, Broadback, Rupert, and Harricana Rivers in the south. The other was to build on the La Grande and Eastmain Rivers to the north. In May 1972, the northern rivers were chosen. Studies showed that the La Grande option would cost less. It would also have less impact on forests and cause less flooding. This was important for the First Nations people who fished and hunted there. The ground in the southern area was also very silty, which would have made building dams harder.

The chosen plan involved building four power stations on the La Grande River. It also included diverting the Eastmain and Caniapiscau rivers into the La Grande River. A new company, the James Bay Energy Corporation, was created to manage the project.

Building the Road

At that time, Quebec law did not require environmental studies. So, construction of the 700 km (430 mi) James Bay Road began in 1971. This road went to the La Grande River. It was finished by October 1974 and cost about $400 million. In 1973 and 1974, a temporary ice road was used in winter. This helped bring heavy equipment for building the road and 13 major bridges.

There were many disagreements between different construction unions. This led to problems on the project sites. In March 1974, workers at the LG-2 site caused damage to the area. In response, the government created a special commission. This commission found many issues within the construction unions.

The Aboriginal Cree people had traditional hunting and trapping areas in the region. But there were no permanent roads there. The 5,000 Crees and 3,500 Inuit people strongly opposed the project. They believed the government was breaking treaties. They also felt their traditional lands were being taken and harmed. The Cree and Inuit were not even told about the project until the access road construction had started.

The Canadian government, through the Indian affairs minister Jean Chrétien, supported the Cree and Inuit. They hired lawyers to help them in court. In 1973, the lawyers won a court order to stop the project. But an appeals court overturned this decision a few days later. However, the Quebec government agreed to talk with the First Nations. The Canadian government was ready to take the matter to the highest court. Later, the Cree and Inuit received a settlement of $150 million. This was negotiated by Cree chief Billy Diamond.

In November 1975, the governments of Canada and Quebec signed the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement with the Cree and Inuit. This agreement gave them special hunting and fishing rights over a large area. They also received about $250 million. In return, the government could develop the hydroelectric resources. The agreement also included plans to check the environmental effects of the project. It set up a process for future hydroelectric projects.

The Project's Phases

Phase I

The first part of the project took about 14 years to build. By 1986, most of the biggest power stations and reservoirs on the La Grande River were finished. This included the Robert-Bourassa generating station (originally called La Grande-2), La Grande-3, and La Grande-4 power stations. They could make 10,800 MW of electricity. Five reservoirs were created, covering an area of 11,300 square kilometers (4,360 sq mi). The Eastmain and Caniapiscau rivers were diverted, adding about 800 cubic meters per second (28,000 cu ft/s) of water to the La Grande River. The power plants from this first phase make about 65 TWh of electricity each year.

During this phase, a huge amount of materials were used. This included over 155 million cubic meters (203 million cu yd) of fill, 138,000 tons of steel, and 550,000 tons of cement. At its peak, 18,000 people worked on the project. Many of the 215 dikes and dams were very tall. One was as high as a 56-story building. A 4,800 km (3,000 mi) network of power lines was built. These lines bring the electricity to homes and businesses in southern Quebec.

Phase II

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the second phase of the James Bay project began. This involved building five more power plants on the La Grande River and its smaller rivers. These were La Grande-1, La Grande-2A, Laforge-1, Laforge-2, and Brisay. They added another 5,200 MW of power by the end of 1996. Three new reservoirs were created, covering 1,600 square kilometers (620 sq mi). The power plants from this second phase make about 18.9 TWh of electricity per year.

On March 13, 1989, a large solar storm caused a power failure at the La Grande complex. This left most of Quebec without electricity for nine hours.

Great Whale River project

During the second phase, Hydro-Québec suggested another project on the Great Whale River. This river is just north of the La Grande River. The Cree people strongly opposed this project. In 1990, Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come organized a canoe trip from Hudson Bay to Albany, New York. This event brought international attention to the issue. The Cree had faced many changes to their way of life because of the new roads. Few Cree people worked on the construction sites. Poverty and social problems were still common in the isolated Cree and Inuit villages.

By the 1980s, the natural flow of the La Grande, Eastmain, and Caniapiscau rivers had changed a lot. This delayed the formation of ice near the Cree village of Chisasibi. About 4% of the Cree's traditional hunting lands were flooded by the reservoirs. This included about 10% of the lands near Chisasibi. However, new roads and airplanes made it easier to reach distant hunting areas. The Cree's opposition to the Great Whale River Project became very effective in 1992. That year, New York State canceled a large power buying agreement. This was due to public outcry and less need for energy. In 1994, the Quebec government and Hydro-Québec stopped the project.

Rupert River Diversion

In 2002, the Quebec government and the Grand Council of the Crees signed an important agreement. It was called "La Paix des Braves" (The Peace of the Braves). This agreement allowed the last part of the original James Bay Project to be finished. This included building the Eastmain-1 power station, which can make 480 MW. It also created the Eastmain Reservoir.

A later agreement in April 2004 ended all legal disputes between the two groups. It also allowed for a joint environmental study of diverting the Rupert River. This river is south of the Eastmain River. The plan is to send about 50% of the Rupert River's water towards the Eastmain Reservoir. This water would then flow into the La Grande Complex. This would also involve building two more power stations: Eastmain-1A and Sarcelle. They would have a combined capacity of 888 MW. The Rupert diversion would generate 8.5 TWh of electricity.

Former Grand Chief of the Crees, Matthew Mukash, was against the Rupert River diversion. He thought building wind turbines would be a better idea.

Hydro-electric Installations

The hydroelectric power stations in the La Grande River area are:

La Grande-1 generating station
Robert-Bourassa generating station (formerly La Grande-2)
La Grande-2-A generating station
La Grande-3 generating station
La Grande-4 generating station
Laforge-1 generating station
Laforge-2 generating station
Brisay generating station
Eastmain-1 generating station
Eastmain-1-A generating station
Sarcelle generating station

Environmental Impacts

Even though there were no environmental laws at the start of the James Bay Project, a big environmental study was done before the first phase began.

The project changed the environment a lot. It created a complex chain of reservoirs. It connected all the rivers on the eastern side of Hudson Bay. This meant diverting water from four major rivers into one large system. This changed the land's natural flow. Some critics called this a "first build, then paint green" policy.

Mercury Pollution

The James Bay Project flooded about 11,000 square kilometers (4,200 sq mi) of forest. When the plants and trees in the flooded areas decayed, they released mercury into the water. Because the water flow was diverted into reservoirs, the mercury could not spread out and become diluted as it would in natural rivers. The Cree people in James Bay eat a lot of fish and sea animals. There is a concern that the project caused higher levels of mercury in the Cree people. It is hard to know the exact effect of the project because other activities also caused mercury pollution.

However, there is a clear link. A few years after the La Grande River was flooded, mercury levels in fish like lake whitefish increased up to four times. In northern pike, levels rose up to seven times. These levels were much higher than in natural lakes. This quick rise in mercury in fish is due to bioaccumulation and biomagnification. This means mercury builds up in small organisms. Then, bigger animals eat many of these smaller organisms, and the mercury builds up even more in them. When humans eat these fish, the mercury builds up in their bodies.

In 1986, the James Bay Mercury Agreement was signed. This agreement aimed to help Cree fisheries. It also aimed to address the health risks from mercury exposure.

Local Climate Changes

Creating large reservoirs with standing water can change the local climate. People have noticed more low stratus clouds and fog near the major reservoirs. Autumns are warmer, and springs are cooler. This delays the start and end of the growing season. In winter, the project doubles the amount of fresh water flowing into James Bay. This makes the seawater less salty. This also makes the water freeze more easily. The increased ice in the northern part of the project cools warm air currents more than usual. This brings harsher Arctic weather, like strong winds and less snow, to south-central Quebec. The tree line at the southern edge of the project has moved southward.

Water Flow Modifications

The project greatly changed the water flow in the area. In winter, the average monthly water flow into James Bay increased by 52%. This doubled the total fresh water input. In summer, the flow decreased by 6%. The project affects the water flow most from January to April. This is when rivers naturally have their lowest flow rates. The dams can also change flow rates to meet power needs. Power needs are highest in winter and lowest in summer. This means the project can reverse the natural water flow cycle.

The La Grande River is key to the project's power. Its winter flow increased by 500%. It went from an average of 500 cubic meters per second (18,000 cu ft/s) to 5,000 cubic meters per second (180,000 cu ft/s). This was possible by reducing the water flow of the Eastmain River by 90% and the Caniapiscau River by 45%. These rivers were then diverted into the La Grande. This changed not only the amount of water but also where these rivers drained.

The increased water flow and extreme changes in water levels have killed many trees along the shore. These trees cannot handle the big changes or long exposure to water. Also, increased riverbank erosion downstream of the dams has washed away plant habitats. Dead trees along the shore decay, releasing mercury into the land ecosystem. This mercury can then build up in decomposers and detritovores, and then move up the food web. This means the Cree people can be exposed to mercury from both land and water.

Changes in Animal Migration

The project also affected animal migration patterns and wildlife habitats. The loss of wetlands and blocked paths to remaining wetlands have hurt salmon spawning and migration. Diverting rivers towards James Bay could also change where river water flows into the sea.

Caribou populations have been growing since the 1950s. They have adopted new migration routes. In September 1984, about 10,000 migratory woodland caribou drowned. This happened when the Caniapiscau Reservoir was being filled. This was about 1.5% of the herd at that time. On the other hand, the reduced flow of the Caniapiscau and Koksoak Rivers has lowered the risk of natural floods. This gives hunters better access to caribou. About 30,000 caribou are hunted each year by Inuit, Cree, and other hunters.

Changing the flow of rivers can also harm the rich nutrients in mudflats and coastal marshes. These areas are important for millions of migratory birds. This includes waterfowl and Canada geese. These birds use the coastlines of James and Hudson Bays during their spring and fall migrations.

Social Impact

The James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement gave the Cree and Inuit communities a lot of money and resources. This helped them deal with the project's environmental and social effects. It also helped them develop their economy. For example, the local airline Air Creebec was created. The James Bay Project also helped the Cree people of Quebec form a stronger group identity. It led to the creation of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee). The agreement also set up important structures for local government, economic development, schools, and health services. These are mostly controlled by the Grand Council of the Crees and the Kativik Regional Government.

However, the biggest social change came from the Cree people having direct contact with the society and economy of southern Quebec. This happened because of the James Bay Road (Route de la Baie James). This road was built in the early 1970s. It goes from Matagami to the new town of Radisson. Radisson is near the Robert-Bourassa power station. The road also goes to the nearby Cree village of Chisasibi. During the main construction period in the late 1970s, Radisson had many more people than Chisasibi. Today, Radisson has about 500 people.

The Cree communities have also pushed for more roads. These roads connect the James Bay Road to the Cree coastal villages of Wemindji, Eastmain, and Waskaganish. These roads opened between 1995 and 2001. They made it easier to reach hunting areas. They also encouraged trade and social connections between Cree villages and with southern Quebec. Another road, the Route du Nord, links the James Bay Road to Chibougamau. It passes through the Cree village of Nemaska. Cree construction companies built many of these newer roads.

The James Bay Road also opened the region to more mineral exploration and logging. This put more pressure on the traditional hunting and trapping activities of the Cree in the southern James Bay region. This was especially true for the villages of Waskaganish and Nemaska. However, by the late 1990s, hunting and fishing made up less than 20% of the economic activity in Cree communities. These activities are supported by a program from the Quebec government. It offers a modest annual salary to hunters and their families who live in the bush for several weeks each year.