Kitchigama River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kitchigama |
|
|---|---|
Watershed of Nottaway River
|
|
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Grasset lake (Eeyou Istchee Baie-James) Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality), Nord-du-Québec, Quebec 250 m (820 ft) 49°59′05″N 78°10′07″W / 49.98472°N 78.16861°W |
| River mouth | Nottaway River Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality), Nord-du-Québec, Quebec 49 m (161 ft) 51°04′13″N 78°42′57″W / 51.07028°N 78.71583°W |
| Length | 191.8 km (119.2 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
|
The Kitchigama River is a river located in Quebec, Canada. It flows through the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality) region. This river is a branch, or tributary, of the larger Nottaway River. The area around the river doesn't have many roads. The river usually freezes over from early November until mid-May. It's generally safe to travel on the ice from mid-November to mid-April.
Contents
Where Does the Kitchigama River Start?
The Kitchigama River begins at Grasset Lake (Eeyou Istchee James Bay). This lake is about 14.3 kilometres (8.9 mi) (8.9 miles (14.3 km)) long and 8.4 kilometres (5.2 mi) (5.2 miles (8.4 km)) wide. It sits about 250 metres (820 ft) (820 feet (250 m)) above sea level. The lake is surrounded by large swampy areas.
Grasset Lake gets water from the Supercase River on its south side. It also receives water from two other streams on its east side. The lake's outlet is about 18.3 kilometres (11.4 mi) (11.4 miles (18.3 km)) northwest of a bay in Lake Matagami. It's also about 34.4 kilometres (21.4 mi) (21.4 miles (34.4 km)) northwest of the town of Matagami.
How Long is the Kitchigama River?
The Kitchigama River flows for about 191.8 kilometres (119.2 mi) (119.2 miles (191.8 km)). It winds through the region's swampy lowlands, running almost parallel to the Nottaway River.
The Upper Kitchigama River
The first part of the river, called the Upper Kitchigama River, is about 46.1 kilometres (28.6 mi) (28.6 miles (46.0 km)) long.
- It flows 15.5 kilometres (9.6 mi) (9.6 miles (15.4 km)) north to where water from Lac La Forest joins it.
- Then it goes 7.0 kilometres (4.3 mi) (4.3 miles (6.9 km)) northeast, picking up water from Testard and Gabriel lakes.
- It continues 15.9 kilometres (9.9 mi) (9.9 miles (15.9 km)) northeast to the edge of La Forest Township.
- After that, it flows 6.2 kilometres (3.9 mi) (3.9 miles (6.3 km)) northeast to Kashapuminatikuch Creek.
- Finally, it travels 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) (0.93 miles (1.50 km)) east to meet the Pahunan River.
The Middle Kitchigama River
The middle section of the river is about 60.3 kilometres (37.5 mi) (37.5 miles (60.4 km)) long.
- It flows 19.8 kilometres (12.3 mi) (12.3 miles (19.8 km)) north, where water from Lake Montreau joins it.
- Then it goes 10.5 kilometres (6.5 mi) (6.5 miles (10.5 km)) northwest into marshy areas, curving around a 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) (2.2 miles (3.5 km)) island.
- It finishes this section by flowing 30 kilometres (19 mi) (19 miles (31 km)) northwest to the outlet of Kamivakutisi Lake.
The Lower Kitchigama River
The last part of the river, the Lower Kitchigama River, is about 85.4 kilometres (53.1 mi) (53.1 miles (85.5 km)) long.
- It flows 39.6 kilometres (24.6 mi) (24.6 miles (39.6 km)) northwest to a bend.
- Then it continues 25.4 kilometres (15.8 mi) (15.8 miles (25.4 km)) northwest along a thin strip of land to another bend.
- Finally, it flows 20.4 kilometres (12.7 mi) (12.7 miles (20.4 km)) north to its mouth.
Where Does the Kitchigama River End?
The Kitchigama River flows into the southwestern side of the Nottaway River. This meeting point is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) (12 miles (19 km)) southwest of the Nottaway River's main path. From there, the Nottaway River flows another 50 kilometres (31 mi) (31 miles (50 km)) before reaching James Bay.
This meeting point is located:
- 142.5 kilometres (88.5 mi) (88.5 miles (142.4 km)) northwest of the mouth of Lake Matagami.
- 165 kilometres (103 mi) (103 miles (166 km)) northwest of downtown Matagami, Quebec.
- 56 kilometres (35 mi) (35 miles (56 km)) east of the border between Ontario and Quebec.
What Does "Kitchigama" Mean?
The name "Kitchigama" comes from the Algonquin language. It is believed to be made up of two words: "kitci" and "kami". Together, these words mean "large body of water."
The name "Kitchigama" first appeared on a map in 1896, drawn by Robert Bell. Some early European explorers called this river "Fall to Gama."
According to Father Georges Lemoine, the name is truly of Algonquin origin. Father Joseph-Étienne Guinard noted that for both the Cree and Algonquin peoples, "Kitchigami" can mean "the sea, the ocean, and all large bodies of water."
Over time, the river's name has been spelled in many different ways, like Kitchigoma, Michagami, and Mitchigami. More recently, Cree surveys have found another name for the river: "Minikwanaw Shipish." This translates to "river of the mountain that drinks." Other Cree names describe parts of the river, such as "Kachiwapaminakuch Sipi," meaning "it can be seen from the river," and "Nakatewakamiu Sipi," meaning "river with black water."
