Simard Lake (Témiscamingue) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lac Simard |
|
|---|---|
 Lac Simard
Location in Quebec
|
|
| Location | Laforce / Moffet, Témiscamingue Regional County Municipality, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 47°37′46″N 78°41′26″W / 47.62944°N 78.69056°W |
| Primary inflows | Ottawa River |
| Primary outflows | Ottawa River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 18 km (11 mi) |
| Max. width | 12 km (7.5 mi) |
| Surface area | 170 km2 (66 sq mi) |
Lac Simard is a large freshwater lake in Quebec, Canada. It's located in the northwestern part of Quebec, in a region called Témiscamingue. The lake is near the small towns of Laforce and Moffet.
Contents
About Lac Simard
Lac Simard is quite big! It covers an area of 170 square kilometers (about 65 square miles). The lake is 18 kilometers (about 11 miles) long and 12 kilometers (about 7.5 miles) wide.
It's found in a beautiful area of Quebec. Here's where it is compared to other places:
- About 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) west of the Decelles Reservoir.
- More than 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Lake Timiskaming.
- East of Des Quinze Lake.
- North of the village of Laforce.
- North of the Zec de Kipawa nature area.
- South of the city of Rouyn-Noranda.
Rivers and Water Flow
The mighty Ottawa River flows into Lac Simard on its north side. It then travels about 6.7 kilometers (4 miles) across the lake towards the west. The water in the Ottawa River that reaches Lac Simard comes from the Decelles Reservoir, which is to the east. Other rivers like the Darlens River, Kinojévis River, and Roger River also feed into the Ottawa River before it reaches the lake.
Lac Simard is like a wide part of the Ottawa River. It has many islands. The northern shore of the lake has two big curves. The southern shore has several bays, including:
- Deer River Bay (Baie de la rivière Chevreuil)
- Klock Bay
- Poverty Bay
- Snags Bay (Baie des Chicots)
The town of Laforce and the Aboriginal community of Winneway are located along the southern shore of Lac Simard.
Neighboring Water Areas
The land around Lac Simard is part of several important river systems. These are called drainage slopes.
- North side: Ottawa River, Darlens River, Kinojévis River, and Serment River.
- East side: Ottawa River, Lake Nodiere, and Lake des Fourches (Fork Lake).
- South side: Lake Devlin, Soufflot Lake, Lake aux Sables, and Blondeau River.
- West side: Ottawa River, Grassy Lake, Lake Roger, and Des Quinze Lake.
The Name of the Lake
The name "Lac Simard" was officially given in 1928. It honors a man named Télesphore Simard. He was born in 1863 near Quebec (city). He became a surveyor in 1887 after studying at Laval University.
Télesphore Simard worked for the Government of Quebec. He explored rivers in areas like the North Coast and Temiscamingue. In 1911, he surveyed villages in the Abitibi region. He was also a politician, elected to the provincial government in 1916. He represented the Témiscamingue area until he passed away in 1924.
Older Names for the Lake
Before it was called Lac Simard, the lake had other names.
- In the early 1900s, the Algonquin people called it "Mijicowaja." This name means "a slightly extended lake."
- Later, it was sometimes called "Expanse." This name likely came about after a dam was built around 1912. The dam increased the size of the lake, making it "expand."
- In 1895, an explorer named John Bignell called the lake "Winowa." This name is similar to the Algonquin word "Winneway," which means "white water." This name referred to a specific bay and an island in the southeastern part of Lac Simard.
The name Lake Simard was officially confirmed on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec Names Board).
