Naskaupi River facts for kids
The Naskaupi River is a big river in Labrador, Canada. It's the second longest river there. This river flows into a large bay called Lake Melville. Lake Melville is a type of bay where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water.
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River's Journey and Basin
The Naskaupi River collects water from a huge area around it. This area is called its drainage basin. The Naskaupi River's basin is north of Labrador's longest river, the Churchill River.
How Big is the Basin?
The Naskaupi River's drainage basin covers about 4,714 square kilometers (or 1,820 square miles). That's a very large area! No one lives permanently in this river basin. There are also no roads there.
What the Basin Looks Like
Almost half of the Naskaupi River basin is covered by forests. A bit more than a quarter of the area has other types of plants. About 17% of the basin is covered by lakes, rivers, or wet areas like swamps. The rest of the land is considered "barren" or "unclassified" by the government.
People and the River
The Naskapi First Nation people have a long history with the Naskaupi River. They used the river as a pathway to travel through Labrador. It was an important route for them.
Early Explorers
Around the late 1800s and early 1900s, several groups explored the Naskaupi River. One famous explorer was Mina Benson. Her husband, Leonidas Hubbard, sadly died during an expedition in 1903. But Mina Benson bravely returned in 1905. She made many important discoveries during her successful trip.
An American artist named Frank Weston Benson also sketched the Naskapi people. He doesn't seem to be related to Mina Benson.
Water Diversion
The Naskaupi River's water was partly redirected a while ago. This happened when many large walls, called dikes, were built. These dikes created the Smallwood Reservoir.
The Churchill Falls Project
The Smallwood Reservoir was made for the Churchill Falls Hydroelectric Project. This project uses the power of water to create electricity. To help this project, some water from the Naskaupi River was sent into the Churchill River's drainage basin. This means the Naskaupi River now shares some of its water with the Churchill River system.
