Berens River
Encyclopedia
The Berens River is a river
in the Provinces of Manitoba
and Ontario
, Canada
. It flows west from an unnamed lake in Kenora District
, Ontario and discharges its waters into Lake Winnipeg
near the village
and First Nation of Berens River
, Manitoba. The river has a number of lake
s along its course, and many rapids.
traditional hunting and fishing area for thousands of years. It was first travelled by European explorers in 1767, who descended the river to Lake Winnipeg after having crossed over from the Severn River
. The river was named for Joseph Berens, then governor or the Hudson's Bay Company
(HBC). Several HBC posts and one of the Northwest Company were established at the mouth, upriver, and even at the mouth of the Pigeon River further south, the first in 1814. The river system became an HBC trade route.
between the all-weather road connecting to Ontario Highway 125 to the south and the Deer Lake First Nation
, North Spirit Lake First Nation
and Sandy Lake First Nation
to the north. The bridge would be located on the Berens River east and upstream of Berens Lake.
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 the Provinces of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and 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...
. It flows west from an unnamed lake in Kenora District
Kenora District, Ontario
Kenora District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1907 from parts of Rainy River District. It is, geographically, the largest division in that province; at 407,192.66 km2 it comprises almost 38 percent of the province's land area...
, Ontario and discharges its waters into Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
near the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and First Nation of Berens River
Berens River, Manitoba
Berens River is located in Manitoba, Canada, along the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg. This community is near the mouth of the Berens River, which flows west from the Ontario headwaters...
, Manitoba. The river has a number of lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s along its course, and many rapids.
History
The river has been a First NationsFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
traditional hunting and fishing area for thousands of years. It was first travelled by European explorers in 1767, who descended the river to Lake Winnipeg after having crossed over from the Severn River
Severn River (northern Ontario)
The Severn River is a river in northern Ontario. The northern Ontario river has its headwaters near the western border of the province. From the head of the Black Birch River, the Severn River is long and its drainage basin is 102,800 km² , a small portion of which is in Manitoba...
. The river was named for Joseph Berens, then governor or 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...
(HBC). Several HBC posts and one of the Northwest Company were established at the mouth, upriver, and even at the mouth of the Pigeon River further south, the first in 1814. The river system became an HBC trade route.
Natural History
Berens River is one of the last remaining fresh water rivers in southern Canada with very little development, no major roads, and with woodland caribou habitat.Transportation
The Ontario Government announced funding in 2009 for "…design, surveying, environmental assessments and other steps required before construction can begin" for a permanent bridge on the existing winter roadWinter road
Winter roads are temporary highways carved out of snow and ice. They facilitate transportation to and from communities without permanent roads, and are commonly seen in isolated regions in Canada's north....
between the all-weather road connecting to Ontario Highway 125 to the south and the Deer Lake First Nation
Deer Lake First Nation
Deer Lake First Nation is an Oji-Cree First Nation in Northern Ontario, located north of Red Lake, Ontario. It is one of the few First Nations in Ontario to have signed Treaty 5. It is part of the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Council and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation...
, North Spirit Lake First Nation
North Spirit Lake First Nation
North Spirit Lake First Nation is a small Oji-Cree community in Northern Ontario, located north of Red Lake, Ontario. It is connected to Sandy Lake First Nation, and Deer Lake First Nation by winter/ice roads...
and Sandy Lake First Nation
Sandy Lake First Nation
Sandy Lake First Nation is an independent Oji-Cree First Nation. The First Nation community, in the west part of Northern Ontario, is located in the Kenora District, northeast of Red Lake, Ontario. Its registered population in June 2007 was 2,474...
to the north. The bridge would be located on the Berens River east and upstream of Berens Lake.
Settlements
- Berens River, Manitoba
- Little Grand Rapids, ManitobaLittle Grand Rapids, ManitobaLittle Grand Rapids is a community in east central Manitoba, Canada, near the Ontario border. It is located approximately 280 kilometers or 173 miles north-northeast from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Approximately 1,000 people live in the village and the nearby Indian reserve for the Little Grand Rapids...
, on Family Lake about 115 kilometres (71 mi) southeast of the mouth of the river. - Poplar Hill First NationPoplar Hill First NationPoplar Hill First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nation located in Northern Ontario, approximately 120 km north of Red Lake, Ontario near the Ontario-Manitoba border. The First Nation is accessible by air and winter road...
, Ontario - Pikangikum First NationPikangikum First NationThe Pikangikum First Nation is an Ojibwe First Nation located on the Pikangikum 14 Reserve, in Unorganized Kenora District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada...
, Ontario
Tributaries
- Keeper River (left)
- Crooked Mouth River (right)
- Pikangikum Lake
- Dowling River (left)
- Throat River (right)
- Windfall Creek (left)
- Owl Creek (left)
- Mamakwash River (left)
- Whitefish RiverWhitefish River (Berens River)The Whitefish River is a river in Kenora District in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is in the Hudson Bay and Nelson River drainage basins and is a tributary of the Berens River.-Course:The river begins at an unnamed lake and flows south to Retter Lake...
(right) - Serpent River (left)