La Grande River

La Grande River
La Grande River near Radisson, Quebec
La Grande River original basin in yellow. Diverted basins in orange.
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Jamésie
Physical characteristics
Source	Lac Nichicun
• location	Nitchequon
• coordinates	53°12′30″N 70°56′00″W / 53.20833°N 70.93333°W / 53.20833; -70.93333
Mouth	James Bay
• location	Chisasibi
• coordinates	53°50′00″N 79°04′00″W / 53.83333°N 79.06667°W / 53.83333; -79.06667
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	893 km (555 mi)[1]
Basin size	97,600 km2 (37,700 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average	3,400 m3/s (120,000 cu ft/s)[2]
• minimum	345 m3/s (12,200 cu ft/s)
• maximum	4,450 m3/s (157,000 cu ft/s)

La Grande River (French: La Grande Rivière; Cree: Chisasibi; both meaning "great river") is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, rising in the highlands of the north-central part of the province and flowing roughly 900 km (560 mi) west to its drainage at James Bay. It is the second-longest river in the province, surpassed only by the Saint Lawrence River.

Originally, the La Grande River drained an area of 97,400 km² (37,600 sq mi), and had a mean discharge of 1,690 m³/s (60,000 cu ft/s).^[1] Since the 1980s, when hydroelectric development diverted the Eastmain and Caniapiscau rivers into the La Grande, its total catchment area has increased to about 175,000 km² (68,000 sq mi), with its mean discharge being more than 3,400 m³/s (120,000 cu ft/s).^[2] In November 2009, the Rupert River was also (partially) diverted, adding another 31,430 km² (12,140 sq mi) to the basin.

At one time, the La Grande was known as the "Fort George River". The Hudson's Bay Company operated a trading post on the river, at Big River House, between 1803 and 1824. In 1837, a larger trading post was established at Fort George, on an island at the mouth of the river. In the early 20th century, this trading post became a village as the Crees of the James Bay region abandoned their nomadic way of life and settled nearby. The modern Cree village of Chisasibi, which replaced Fort George in 1980, is situated on the southern shore of the La Grande River, several kilometers to the East.

Significant tributaries of La Grande River include:

• Kanaaupscow River
• Sakami River
  • Eastmain River (diverted)
    • Opinaca River
    • Rupert River (diverted)
• Rivière de Pontois
  • Rivière de la Corvette
• Laforge River
  • Caniapiscau River (diverted)

The river has been extensively developed as a source of hydroelectric power by Hydro-Québec, starting in 1974. An area of 9,900 km² (3,800 sq mi) was flooded^{[citation needed]} and almost all of the flow of the Eastmain River^{[citation needed]} and approximately 70% of the flows of the Rupert River^[3][4] were diverted into the La Grande watershed. The following generating stations are on the La Grande River and its tributaries in upstream order:

• La-Grande-1 (LG-1)
• Robert-Bourassa
• La Grande-2A (LG-2A)
• La Grande-3 (LG-3)
• La Grande-4 (LG-4)
• Laforge-1 (LF-1)
• Laforge-2 (LF-2)
• Brisay
• Eastmain-1

As a result of the development projects, the Cree people of the region lost some parts of their traditional hunting and trapping territories (about 10%^{[citation needed]} of the hunting and trapping territories used by the Cree of Chisasibi). Organic mercury levels increased in the fish, which forms an important part of their diet, as the organic material trapped by the rising waters in the new reservoirs began to filter into the food chain. Careful follow-up by Cree health authorities since the 1980s has been largely successful. The authorities continue to promote the regular consumption of fish, with the notable exception of the predatory species living in the reservoirs, which still show high levels of mercury.^{[citation needed]}

• James Bay Project
• List of longest rivers of Canada

Wikimedia Commons has media related to La Grande Rivière.

• Hydro-Québec's La Grande Complex
• The Grand River at LG-1 (YouTube Video)