La Grande River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids La Grande River |
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La Grande River near Radisson, Quebec.
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La Grande River original basin in yellow. Diverted basins in orange.
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Jamésie |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lac Nichicun Nitchequon 53°12′30″N 70°56′00″W / 53.20833°N 70.93333°W |
| River mouth | James Bay Chisasibi 0 m (0 ft) 53°50′00″N 79°04′00″W / 53.83333°N 79.06667°W |
| Length | 893 km (555 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 97,600 km2 (37,700 sq mi) |
The La Grande River (which means "great river" in both French and Cree) is a long river in northwestern Quebec, Canada. It starts in the high lands of north-central Quebec. Then, it flows about 900 kilometres (560 mi) west. Finally, it empties into James Bay. It is the second largest river in Quebec, right after the Saint Lawrence River.
Originally, the La Grande River's natural area was about 97,400 square kilometres (37,600 sq mi). It carried an average of 1,690 m3/s (60,000 cu ft/s) of water. Since the 1980s, things have changed a lot. Water from the Eastmain and Caniapiscau rivers was sent into the La Grande. This was done for hydroelectric projects, which create electricity using water power.
Because of these projects, the total area that drains into the La Grande River grew to about 175,000 square kilometres (68,000 sq mi). The average amount of water it carries also increased to more than 3,400 m3/s (120,000 cu ft/s). In November 2009, part of the Rupert River was also redirected. This added another 31,430 square kilometres (12,140 sq mi) to the river's basin.
History of the La Grande River
This river was once known as the "Fort George River." The Hudson's Bay Company had a trading post on the river. This post, called Big River House, was active from 1803 to 1824. It was a place where people traded goods, especially animal furs.
In 1837, a bigger trading post was built at Fort George. It was on an island at the mouth of the river. In the early 1900s, this trading post became a village. This happened as the Cree people of the James Bay region stopped moving around. They began to settle down near the trading post.
The modern Cree village of Chisasibi replaced Fort George in 1980. It is located on the southern bank of the La Grande River. It sits a few kilometers to the east of the old site.
Rivers Joining La Grande
Many smaller rivers flow into the La Grande River. These are called tributaries. Some important ones include:
- Kanaaupscow River
- Sakami River
- Eastmain River (water from this river is now partly sent to La Grande)
- Opinaca River
- Rupert River (water from this river is also partly sent to La Grande)
- Eastmain River (water from this river is now partly sent to La Grande)
- Rivière de Pontois
- Rivière de la Corvette
- Laforge River
- Caniapiscau River (water from this river is now partly sent to La Grande)
