Opataouaga Lake is a freshwater body of the Broadback River hydrographic slope of the municipality of Eeyou Istchee James Bay (municipality), in the administrative region of Nord-du-Québec, in Quebec, in Canada.
| Opataouaga Lake | |
|---|---|
 Watershed of Broadback River | |
  Opataouaga Lake | |
| Location | Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (municipality) (RCM) |
| Coordinates | 50°21′59″N 76°42′01″W / 50.36639°N 76.70028°W |
| Type | Natural |
| Primary inflows | Lake Poncheville and few forested creek |
| Primary outflows | Quénonisca Lake |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 13.0 kilometres (8.1 mi) |
| Max. width | 5.3 kilometres (3.3 mi) |
| Surface area | 27.54 kilometres (17.11 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 269 metres (883 ft) |
Forestry is the main economic activity of the sector. Recreational tourism activities come second with a large navigable body of water upstream of Lake Poncheville, and downstream Quénonisca Lake and the Broadback River.
The hydrographic slope of lake Opataouaga is accessible through the forest road R1023 (East-West direction) coming from the West and passing north of “Île au Pain de Sucre” (English: Sugarloaf Island); the R1023 connects the "James Bay Road" (North-South direction) that comes from Matagami; from “Île au Pain de Sucre”, this road heads north-east to the west side of Lac Rocher.
The surface of Opataouaga Lake is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice circulation is generally from mid-November to mid-April.
Geography
editThe Opataouaga Lake has a length of 13.0 kilometres (8.1 mi), a width of 5.3 kilometres (3.3 mi), an altitude of 269 kilometres (167 mi) and an area of 27.54 square kilometres (10.63 sq mi). This lake has 32 islands including four major islands. Located at the mouth of the lake, the largest island is Sugar Loaf Island; it has a length of 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi) and width of 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi).
The surrounding areas near the lake have a generally leveled topography, except for two mountains on the east side reaching 340 metres (1,120 ft) and 341 metres (1,119 ft) respectively. On the west side of the lake, two mountain tops reach respectively 347 metres (1,138 ft) and 351 metres (1,152 ft).
The mouth of Lake Opataouaga is located at:
- 14.4 kilometres (8.9 mi) south-west of a bay Rocher Lake;
- 43.8 kilometres (27.2 mi) southwest of the mouth of Quénonisca Lake (confluence with the Broadback River);
- 69.5 kilometres (43.2 mi) south-east of the mouth of Evans Lake which is crossed by the Broadback River;
- 184 kilometres (114 mi) south-east of the mouth of the Broadback River (confluence with Rupert Bay);
- 99.1 kilometres (61.6 mi) north-east of downtown Matagami;
- 174.5 kilometres (108.4 mi) west of downtown Chibougamau.[1]
Toponymy
editOf Cree origin, this hydronym means "the lake with the sandy tip". This toponymic designation is indicated in the "Fifth Report of the Geographic Board of Canada 1904", published in Ottawa in 1905, page 46, under the graph: "Opatawaga; Lake, Northeast of Mattagami Lake, Abitibi District, Que. (Not Opiwatakan)".
The toponym Lake Opataouaga was formalized on December 5, 1968 at the Commission de toponymie du Québec, at the creation of this commission.[2]
Notes and references
edit- ^ River segments measured from Atlas of Canada (published on the Internet) by the Department of Natural Resources of Canada.
- ^ Commission de toponymie du Quebec - Bank of Place Names - Toponym: "Opataouaga Lake"
