Olga Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olga Lake |
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Watershed of Nottaway River
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 Olga Lake
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Baie-James |
| Coordinates | 49°47′08″N 77°14′12″W / 49.78556°N 77.23667°W |
| Type | Natural |
| Primary inflows | Waswanipi River, Opaoca River |
| Primary outflows | Waswanipi River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi) |
| Max. width | 18.8 kilometres (11.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 106 kilometres (66 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 256 metres (840 ft) |
Olga Lake is a freshwater lake located in the northern part of Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay (municipality) area. The Waswanipi River flows right through the lake.
The lake is important for the local economy. People work in forestry, which means managing and harvesting trees. Recreational tourism is also popular, with visitors enjoying the lake for fun activities.
Olga Lake is special because it is said to be home to a mysterious fish called yûtinamekw. This name means "windfish" in the local Cree language.
You can reach Olga Lake by using the James Bay Highway. The lake's surface usually freezes over from early November until mid-May. It is generally safe to walk or travel on the ice from mid-November to mid-April.
Contents
About Olga Lake's Location and Size
Olga Lake is quite large! It is about 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi) long and 18.8 kilometres (11.7 mi) wide. The lake sits at an elevation of 256 metres (840 ft) above sea level.
The lake has many interesting features like bays, peninsulas (land almost surrounded by water), and islands. The Waswanipi River flows through the northern part of the lake, heading west towards Lake Matagami.
Rivers and Water Flow
Olga Lake gets its water from several sources. The Opaoca River flows into the lake from the southeast. Other smaller streams and the outflow from Lakes Caron and Gabrielle also feed into Olga Lake.
The water leaves Olga Lake at a place called "Chute Rouge" (which means Red Falls). This spot is in a bay at the north end of the lake.
Here are some distances from the lake's outflow:
- 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi) southeast of Lake Matagami
- 18.4 kilometres (11.4 mi) east of Lac au Goéland
- 33.3 kilometres (20.7 mi) northeast of the town of Matagami
- 35.1 kilometres (21.8 mi) southeast of Soscumica Lake
Nearby Rivers and Lakes
Many other rivers and lakes are close to Olga Lake. These waterways are all connected as part of a larger system.
- To the north: Waswanipi River, Lake Matagami, Canet River
- To the east: Waswanipi River, Gull Lake
- To the south: Opaoca River, Bell River
- To the west: Lake Matagami, Bell River
Naming of Olga Lake
The name "Lake Olga" was first written down in a report from the Geographic Board of Canada in 1904. It was described as "Olga; Lake southeast of Mattagami Lake, Abitibi District, Que."
No one is quite sure why the lake was given the name "Olga." The official name "lac Olga" was made formal on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is the organization responsible for place names in Quebec.
