Great Whale River, Canada
Published: July 2, 2007, 3:03 pm
Updated: July 2, 2007, 3:03 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Langdon D. Clough General Description
The Great Whale River (La Grande Riviere de la Baleine) travels 724 km from its headwaters at Lake Bienville, through Quebec's central lake plateau to the Hudson Bay. Its drainage area encompasses 42 700 sq. kilometers (km) and its average annual discharge is 21.4 cubic kilometers. Giant rapids characterize the wild, pristine nature of the Great Whale. Beluga whales, caribou, wolf and rare fresh water seals are among the region's abundant wildlife.
(Source: Photo by L. Bernatchez)
From Lake Bienville, the Great Whale River flows eastward past sub-arctic scenery of granite, stunted trees and brilliantly colored lichen. The river course abounds with rapids and it drops 45 m over the last 30 km before flowing sluggishly past sandbars and beaches into Hudson Bay. Kuujjuarapik (Poste-de-la-Baleine), situated at the river mouth, is the only settlement along its course.
Heritage
The Great Whale Settlement (Kuujjuarapik) was once the site of an important Hudson Bay Trading Company post. Recently the Great Whale River has been at the heart of a major controversy focusing on hydroelectric development.
Hydro-Quebec announced plans to divert the river into the existing reservoirs of La Grande Hydro Complex (part of the large-scale James Bay Hydroelectric Project). This would reduce the flow of the Great Whale by 85% and dramatically alter the region's wilderness. The Whapmagoostui First Nations people (Great Whale River Crees) strongly oppose these plans since the Great Whale has supported them and their ancestors for centuries and such drastic changes would severely threaten their livelihood and heritage.
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Citation
Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Paul D. N. Hebert (Lead Author);Langdon D. Clough (Topic Editor) "Great Whale River, Canada". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth July 2, 2007; Last revised Date July 2, 2007; Retrieved May 23, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Great_Whale_River,_Canada>
The Authors
The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) is an interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to improving the understanding of biodiversity at all scales, from the genetic to the macroecological. Based at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, BIO is host to more than 30 university faculty and their research groups representing a wide range of biological expertise. BIO also includes specialized support staff and unique research and outreach capabilities designed to foster both academi ... (Full Bio)
After receiving his Ph.D. in genetics at Cambridge University in 1972, Paul Hebert took up a Rutherford Fellowship at the University of Sydney. He returned to Canada in 1976, accepting a position at the University of Windsor where he was a professor in Biological Sciences and Director of the Great Lakes Institute. He moved to the University of Guelph in 1990 as Chair of the Department of Zoology. He has been a visiting professor at the Australian National University, the Czech Academy of Scienc ... (Full Bio)
General Description
The Great Whale River (La Grande Riviere de la Baleine) travels 724 km from its headwaters at Lake Bienville, through Quebec's central lake plateau to the Hudson Bay. Its drainage area encompasses 42 700 sq. kilometers (km) and its average annual discharge is 21.4 cubic kilometers. Giant rapids characterize the wild, pristine nature of the Great Whale. Beluga whales, caribou, wolf and rare fresh water seals are among the region's abundant wildlife.
(Source: Photo by L. Bernatchez)
From Lake Bienville, the Great Whale River flows eastward past sub-arctic scenery of granite, stunted trees and brilliantly colored lichen. The river course abounds with rapids and it drops 45 m over the last 30 km before flowing sluggishly past sandbars and beaches into Hudson Bay. Kuujjuarapik (Poste-de-la-Baleine), situated at the river mouth, is the only settlement along its course.
Heritage
The Great Whale Settlement (Kuujjuarapik) was once the site of an important Hudson Bay Trading Company post. Recently the Great Whale River has been at the heart of a major controversy focusing on hydroelectric development.
Hydro-Quebec announced plans to divert the river into the existing reservoirs of La Grande Hydro Complex (part of the large-scale James Bay Hydroelectric Project). This would reduce the flow of the Great Whale by 85% and dramatically alter the region's wilderness. The Whapmagoostui First Nations people (Great Whale River Crees) strongly oppose these plans since the Great Whale has supported them and their ancestors for centuries and such drastic changes would severely threaten their livelihood and heritage.
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(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
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