Opinaca Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Opinaca Reservoir |
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 Opinaca Reservoir
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Nord-du-Québec, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 52°38′58″N 76°19′54″W / 52.64944°N 76.33167°W |
| Primary inflows | Opinaca River |
| Primary outflows | Opinaca River |
| Catchment area | 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 1,040 km2 (400 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 8.2 m (27 ft) |
| Max. depth | 51 m (167 ft) |
| Water volume | 8.5 km3 (6,900,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Residence time | 0.34 years |
| Shore length1 | 2,200 km (1,400 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 216 m (709 ft) |
| Frozen | December to May |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The Opinaca Reservoir is a large body of water in the northwest part of Quebec, Canada. It is not a natural lake. Instead, it is a special type of lake called a reservoir. This means it was created by people.
The reservoir is located about 140 kilometers (87 miles) east of James Bay. It sits south of the Robert-Bourassa Reservoir and Lac Sakami. The Opinaca Reservoir is also connected to the Eastmain Reservoir by a narrow waterway that is 41 kilometers (25 miles) long.
What is the Opinaca Reservoir?
The Opinaca Reservoir is a very large artificial lake. It was made to store water. This water is then used to create electricity. The reservoir covers a huge area of about 1,040 square kilometers (400 square miles). That's bigger than many cities! The water level in the reservoir is about 216 meters (709 feet) above sea level.
How was it created?
The Opinaca Reservoir was created as part of a giant project. This project is called the James Bay Project. It is one of the biggest hydroelectric projects in the world. Hydroelectric means making electricity from moving water.
To create the reservoir, engineers built dams. These dams held back the water from rivers. This caused the water to spread out and fill a large area. This area became the Opinaca Reservoir.
Part of the James Bay Project
The James Bay Project is a huge system of dams and power plants. It uses the power of several rivers in Quebec. The main goal of the project is to produce clean electricity. This electricity powers homes and businesses across Quebec and beyond.
The Opinaca Reservoir plays an important role in this system. It helps control the flow of water. This ensures there is always enough water to turn the turbines in the power plants. These turbines then generate electricity.
