Abitibi River
Encyclopedia
The Abitibi River is a river
in northeastern Ontario
, Canada
, which flows northwest from Lake Abitibi
to join the Moose River
which empties into James Bay
. This river is 540 kilometres (335.5 mi) long.
The river was an important fur trading
route for the Hudson's Bay Company
. Now, pulp and paper
is an important industry in the heavily forested region through which it flows.
It passes the town of Iroquois Falls, Ontario
, which was named after the nearby falls on the river. The name comes from an Ojibwa
tale about an invading Iroquois
war party who were sent over the falls by their Ojibwa captives.
The Abitibi Canyon Generating Station
is located on the river at Abitibi Canyon
. The experience of surveying the river for the purposes of building this plant was the inspiration for folk singer Wade Hemsworth
's "The Black Fly Song
".
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in northeastern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which flows northwest from Lake Abitibi
Lake Abitibi
Lake Abitibi is a lake in northeastern Ontario and western Quebec, Canada. The lake is separated in two distinct portions by a short narrows, making it actually 2 lakes. Its total area is 931 km², and net area 903 km². The lake is shallow and studded with islands...
to join the Moose River
Moose River (Ontario)
The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
which empties into James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
. This river is 540 kilometres (335.5 mi) long.
The river was an important fur trading
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
route for the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. Now, pulp and paper
Wood pulp
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
is an important industry in the heavily forested region through which it flows.
It passes the town of Iroquois Falls, Ontario
Iroquois Falls, Ontario
Iroquois Falls is a small town in Northern Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,729 in the Canada 2006 Census.The town centre lies just off of Hwy 11 on the banks the Abitibi River, west of Lake Abitibi. Timmins, one of the largest cities in northern Ontario is approximately to the west...
, which was named after the nearby falls on the river. The name comes from an Ojibwa
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
tale about an invading Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
war party who were sent over the falls by their Ojibwa captives.
The Abitibi Canyon Generating Station
Abitibi Canyon Generating Station
Abitibi Canyon Generating Station is a hydroelectric power plant located 80 km north of Smooth Rock Falls, within Pitt Township in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District, in Ontario, Canada. This facility is the fifth downstream hydroelectric plant of six on the Abitibi River. Designed by...
is located on the river at Abitibi Canyon
Abitibi Canyon, Ontario
Abitibi Canyon is a community on the Abitibi River in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Abitibi Canyon is in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District, in Cochrane District, and lies northeast of Fraserdale, Ontario.-History:...
. The experience of surveying the river for the purposes of building this plant was the inspiration for folk singer Wade Hemsworth
Wade Hemsworth
Albert Wade Hemsworth was a Canadian folk singer and songwriter. Although he was not a prolific composer, having written only about 20 songs during his entire career, several of his songs — most notably "The Wild Goose", "The Black Fly Song" and "The Log Driver's Waltz" — are among the most...
's "The Black Fly Song
The Black Fly Song
"The Black Fly Song" is a song by Wade Hemsworth, written in 1949, about working in the wilds of Northern Ontario. It is an enduring classic of Canadian folk music, covered by a variety of other artists...
".
Tributaries
- Little Abitibi RiverLittle Abitibi RiverThe Little Abitibi River is a river in northern Ontario. It runs about 120 kilometres up into the Abitibi Canyon, where Ontario Power Generation's Abitibi Canyon Generating Station dams the river at Fraserdale, an abandoned railway town....
- Frederick House RiverFrederick House RiverThe Frederick House River is a river in the James Bay and Moose River drainage basins in Cochrane District in northeastern Ontario, Canada. It flows from Night Hawk Lake in the city of Timmins to its mouth at the Abitibi River in Cochrane, Unorganized, North Part...
- Black RiverBlack River (Ontario)Black River may refer to several rivers by that name in the province of Ontario, Canada.*The Black River in Hastings County, Ontario joins the Moira River near Tweed, Ontario....
Downstream course
- Begins as outlet from Lake AbitibiLake AbitibiLake Abitibi is a lake in northeastern Ontario and western Quebec, Canada. The lake is separated in two distinct portions by a short narrows, making it actually 2 lakes. Its total area is 931 km², and net area 903 km². The lake is shallow and studded with islands...
(48°47′6"N 80°10′23"W) - Extreme southern point (48°42′26"N 80°38′25"W)
- Ansonville, Ontario (48°45′26"N 80°40′43"W)
- Iroquois Falls, OntarioIroquois Falls, OntarioIroquois Falls is a small town in Northern Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,729 in the Canada 2006 Census.The town centre lies just off of Hwy 11 on the banks the Abitibi River, west of Lake Abitibi. Timmins, one of the largest cities in northern Ontario is approximately to the west...
(48°46′41"N 80°40′6"W) - Crossed by Ontario Northland RailwayOntario Northland RailwayThe Ontario Northland Railway is a Canadian railway operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial Crown agency of the government of Ontario....
(49°12′43"N 81°0′37"W) - Long Sault Rapids hydroelectric plant (49°12′44"N 81°0′52"W)
- Confluence with the Black RiverBlack River (Ontario)Black River may refer to several rivers by that name in the province of Ontario, Canada.*The Black River in Hastings County, Ontario joins the Moira River near Tweed, Ontario....
(49°20′58"N 81°6′34"W) - Confluence with the Frederick House RiverFrederick House RiverThe Frederick House River is a river in the James Bay and Moose River drainage basins in Cochrane District in northeastern Ontario, Canada. It flows from Night Hawk Lake in the city of Timmins to its mouth at the Abitibi River in Cochrane, Unorganized, North Part...
(49°18′51"N 81°16′58"W) - Ontario Northland RailwayOntario Northland RailwayThe Ontario Northland Railway is a Canadian railway operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial Crown agency of the government of Ontario....
crossing at Island Falls Station, Ontario (49°32′53"N 81°22′56"W) - Island Falls, Ontario (49°34′3"N 81°23′16"W)
- Abitibi Canyon Generating StationAbitibi Canyon Generating StationAbitibi Canyon Generating Station is a hydroelectric power plant located 80 km north of Smooth Rock Falls, within Pitt Township in Northern Unorganized Cochrane District, in Ontario, Canada. This facility is the fifth downstream hydroelectric plant of six on the Abitibi River. Designed by...
near Fraserdale, OntarioFraserdale, OntarioFraserdale is a small community and rail siding in Unorganized Cochrane, North Part in Cochrane District, Northern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Timmins along the Ontario Northland Railway...
(49°53′42"N 81°34′42"W) - Otter Rapids Generating StationOtter Rapids Generating StationOtter Rapids Generating Station is a dam and hydroelectric power plant located in geographic Pitt Township in the Unorganized North Part of Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Owned by Ontario Power Generation, this 182 MW station is part of the Northeast Plant Group...
(50°10′57"N 81°38′37"W) - Coral Rapids, OntarioCoral Rapids, OntarioCoral Rapids is a community in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Abitibi River northwest of Otter Rapids and has a station on the Ontario Northland's Polar Bear Express....
(50°13′17"N 81°40′33"W) - Extreme western point (50°15′25"N 81°40′48"W)
- Confluence with the Little Abitibi RiverLittle Abitibi RiverThe Little Abitibi River is a river in northern Ontario. It runs about 120 kilometres up into the Abitibi Canyon, where Ontario Power Generation's Abitibi Canyon Generating Station dams the river at Fraserdale, an abandoned railway town....
(50°29′29"N 81°32′7"W) - Joins the Moose RiverMoose River (Ontario)The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
(51°4′17"N 80°55′32"W) - Enters James BayJames BayJames Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
as part of the Moose River (51°21′14"N 80°24′14"W)