Pusticamica Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pusticamica Lake |
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Watershed of Nottaway River
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 Pusticamica Lake
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Eeyou Istchee James Bay (municipality) |
| Coordinates | 49°21′00″N 76°22′30″W / 49.35000°N 76.37500°W |
| Type | Natural |
| Primary inflows | O'Sullivan River, ruisseau Malouin. |
| Primary outflows | O'Sullivan River. |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 28.0 kilometres (17.4 mi) |
| Max. width | 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) |
| Average depth | 49 kilometres (30 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 288 metres (945 ft) |
Pusticamica Lake is a freshwater lake located in the southeastern part of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay area in Quebec, Canada. It's a natural lake that stretches across several townships, which are like small land divisions.
The main activity around the lake is forestry, which means cutting down trees for wood. After that, tourism is also important, with people visiting for fun activities. You can get to Pusticamica Lake by using Route 113, a road that runs along its northwest side.
The lake usually freezes over in early November and stays frozen until mid-May. However, it's generally safe to be on the ice from mid-November to mid-April.
About Pusticamica Lake
Pusticamica Lake is about 28.0 kilometres (17.4 mi) long and 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) wide at its widest point. It sits at an elevation of 288 metres (945 ft) above sea level. The lake has many islands, peninsulas (pieces of land almost surrounded by water), and bays. One long peninsula from the south shore stretches out about 11.8 kilometres (7.3 mi) into the lake. There are also two large islands, one about 3.3 kilometres (2.1 mi) long and another about 3.1 kilometres (1.9 mi) long.
The lake gets most of its water from Malouin Creek, which flows in from the east. This creek also drains water from Malouin Lake and Auger Lake.
The water from Pusticamica Lake flows out from a bay in the north, joining the O'Sullivan River.
Nearby Rivers and Lakes
Pusticamica Lake is surrounded by many other important bodies of water.
- To the north, you'll find the O'Sullivan River, Lake Waswanipi, Waswanipi River, Bachelor River, and Little Bachelor River.
- To the east are Nicobi Lake, Opawica Lake, Father Lake, and Hébert Lake (Hébert River).
- To the south, there's more of the O'Sullivan River, Mountain Brook, and Wilson Lake.
- To the west, you'll find Lake Waswanipi, Iserhoff River, and Florence River.
What's in a Name?
The name "Pusticamica" comes from the Algonquin language. In Algonquin, it means "lake of the mountainous countries," which describes the area around it. Before 1916, when the Geographical Survey of Canada officially named it, people sometimes called it "Puskitamika."
The name "lac Pusticamica" was officially recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is the organization in Quebec responsible for place names.
