Kiamika River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kiamika River |
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Kiamika Reservoir
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| Native name | Rivière Kiamika |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Laurentides |
| MRC | Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lac du Bouleau Blanc Lac-Oscar 46°54′26″N 74°48′39″W / 46.907164°N 74.810843°W |
| River mouth | Rivière du Lièvre Kiamika 46°23′04″N 75°24′44″W / 46.38444°N 75.41222°W |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Rivière du Lièvre→Ottawa River→Saint Lawrence River |
The Kiamika River (which is rivière Kiamika in French) is a waterway in the Canadian province of Quebec. It flows through the area of Kiamika, which is part of the Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality in the Laurentides region.
People have built several dams along the river to control its flow. One important dam is on Lake Kiamika. This lake has become a large reservoir, covering about 43 square kilometers (16.6 square miles). It can be as deep as 46 meters (151 feet). This reservoir has many big islands. Some of these islands were actually connected land before the area was flooded to create the reservoir.
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History of the Kiamika River Valley
In the 1800s, the first explorers who came to this region wrote about the Kiamika River. They noted that its waters were warm and good for canoeing. They also mentioned that the valley had a milder climate. This made it a good place for farming and cutting down trees (logging). The MacLaren Company was one of the first to start logging here.
Early Settlers and Communities
Towards the end of the 1800s, many pioneers moved to the lower part of the Kiamika valley. They were looking for new land to settle. Thanks to these families, several communities grew. These included Chute-Saint-Philippe, Lac-des-Écorces, Val-Barrette, and Kiamika. These places eventually became Catholic parishes and then official municipalities. They even set up their own school boards.
What Does Kiamika Mean?
The name "Kiamika" comes from the Algonquin language. It means "steep or cut below the water." In 1863, Stanislas Drapeau wrote that the Kiamica area got its name from the river. This suggests the river had been called Kiamika for a long time.
How the Name Was Recorded
An older map from 1891 showed "Petit lac Kiamika" as "Petit lac à l'Écorce." However, the earliest map to show the name "R. Kiamika" was made by Eugène Taché in 1870. The official name "Kiamika River" was recognized on December 5, 1968. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a special committee for place names in Quebec.
