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90-510: The Attawapiskat River travels a distance of 748 kilometres (465 mi), and has a drainage area of 50,500 square kilometres (19,498 sq mi). It is the third largest river entirely in Ontario. The source of the river is Attawapiskat Lake at an elevation of 241 metres (791 ft). The main rivers flowing into the lake that are thus part of the Attawapiskat River drainage basin are

180-411: A Muskego-Cree, interviewed elders from Attawapiskat who described in great detail ways in which they continued to harvest, fish and hunt for food, clothing, crafts and subsistence to complement store-bought items. Hookimaw-Witt was the first Muskego-Cree to earn a doctorate. Prior to the 1970s clean potable water from the Attawapiskat River and Monument Channel was obtained using buckets and pails. There

270-413: A deeper fashion than in other, less isolated First Nations communities. Some elders lead a traditional life on the land, moving into the community only during Christmas season. Some families, although having their home base in the community, use the land extensively as their economic and social basis. The vast majority of community members are involved in the annual goose hunts in fall and spring. Most of

360-449: A drainage basin, and there are different ways to interpret that data. In the unlikely event that the gauges are many and evenly distributed over an area of uniform precipitation, using the arithmetic mean method will give good results. In the Thiessen polygon method, the drainage basin is divided into polygons with the rain gauge in the middle of each polygon assumed to be representative for

450-540: A drainage boundary is referred to as watershed delineation . Finding the area and extent of a drainage basin is an important step in many areas of science and engineering. Most of the water that discharges from the basin outlet originated as precipitation falling on the basin. A portion of the water that enters the groundwater system beneath the drainage basin may flow towards the outlet of another drainage basin because groundwater flow directions do not always match those of their overlying drainage network. Measurement of

540-442: A much larger area for their seasonal camps and hunting seasons. Originally this was a seasonal camp that the people visited only in the spring and summer to take advantage of the fishing on one of the main rivers of James Bay. Historically, in the wintertime, families moved to more dispersed sites along the coast, inland or on Akimiski Island, where they trapped, hunted, and gathered roots, fruit and nuts. (General 2012:iii). The latter

630-612: A person died. Reasons cited for the many suicide attempts among the youth were: overcrowding, with 14 to 15 people living in one home; bullying at school; residential schools; and physical, sexual and drug abuse. Health Canada provided $ 340,860 for mental health and wellness programs and $ 9,750 for the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy , which the reserve claimed was inadequate. They said they were overwhelmed. Local hospitals, which were already in poor condition, struggled to treat

720-426: A point where surface water is lost underground . Drainage basins are similar but not identical to hydrologic units , which are drainage areas delineated so as to nest into a multi-level hierarchical drainage system . Hydrologic units are defined to allow multiple inlets, outlets, or sinks. In a strict sense, all drainage basins are hydrologic units but not all hydrologic units are drainage basins. About 48.71% of

810-430: A state-of-the-art construction in 1976, was closed in 2000 because of toxic fumes from a 1979 diesel spill. Along with 300 houses, there are five tents and 17 sheds used for housing. Trailers that house 90 people cost $ 100,000 a year to maintain. Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan claimed that officials in his department were unaware of Attawapiskat's housing problems until October 28, 2011, despite having visited

900-428: A succession of elevated features, such as ridges and hills . A basin may consist of smaller basins that merge at river confluences , forming a hierarchical pattern . Other terms for a drainage basin are catchment area , catchment basin , drainage area , river basin , water basin , and impluvium . In North America, they are commonly called a watershed , though in other English-speaking places, "watershed"

990-477: Is also known as "Agamiski and Atimiski Island, and less commonly as Agumiski, Akamiski, Kamanski, Viner's Island, and Oubaskou."(General 2012:5). Attawapiskat was entered into treaty with Canada relatively late, in 1930 ( Treaty 9 adhesion). The majority of the First Nation members moved to the community as late as the mid-1960s. Many have maintained traditional structures, thinking and interpretation of life in

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1080-474: Is also under construction. The $ 90 million in transfer payments referred to by the Prime Minister is an aggregate figure, encompassing more than just housing. This amount includes all federal funding for Attawapiskat over 5 years, which includes education, health care, social services, housing and many other necessities. All of these programs require infrastructure and human resources that are also included in

1170-480: Is referred to as " watershed management ". In Brazil , the National Policy of Water Resources, regulated by Act n° 9.433 of 1997, establishes the drainage basin as the territorial division of Brazilian water management. When a river basin crosses at least one political border, either a border within a nation or an international boundary, it is identified as a transboundary river . Management of such basins becomes

1260-600: Is the Dead Sea . Drainage basins have been historically important for determining territorial boundaries, particularly in regions where trade by water has been important. For example, the English crown gave the Hudson's Bay Company a monopoly on the fur trade in the entire Hudson Bay basin, an area called Rupert's Land . Bioregional political organization today includes agreements of states (e.g., international treaties and, within

1350-480: Is the more easily navigated route for canoeing. The North Channel outflow from Attawapiskat Lake is at 52°11′35″N 87°28′35″W  /  52.19306°N 87.47639°W  / 52.19306; -87.47639 and consists of two short streams that lead into Windsor Lake. The elevation of the river drops significantly along these two outflow channels, descending from the higher ground of the Canadian Shield to

1440-557: Is the most remote northerly link on the 310 km (190 mi) road to Moosonee. They control the reserves at Attawapiskat 91 and Attawapiskat 91A . Attawapiskat ( Āhtawāpiskatowi ininiwak , unpointed: ᐊᑕᐗᐱᐢᑲᑐᐎ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ ) means "people of the parting of the rocks" from the Swampy Cree language ᑳᐦ ᑕᐗᐱᐢᑳᐠ ( kāh-tawāpiskāk ). The Attawapiskat River carved out several clusters of high limestone islands less than 100 kilometres (62 mi) from its mouth, which are unique to

1530-674: Is thought to have formed about 180 million years ago in the Jurassic period, when the North American Plate moved westward over a centre of upwelling magma called the New England hotspot , also referred to as the Great Meteor hotspot. The area is composed of 18 kimberlite pipes of the Attawapiskat kimberlite field , 16 of which are diamondiferous. The Victor Mine was developed on top of

1620-478: Is typically subarctic, with a mostly coniferous forest (stunted black spruce and tamarack) in the muskeg . Wildlife includes geese, ducks, caribou, moose, beaver, bear, wolves, wolverine, marten, rabbit, muskrat, otter, and other species. Winter roads constructed each December link Attawapiskat First Nation with Fort Albany First Nation , Kashechewan, Moosonee, and Moose Factory to the south. (Minkin 2008:1) The fertile soil (0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) deep)

1710-491: Is underlain by clay and silt. It is normal for the Attawapiskat River to rise 1 to 2 m (3 ft 3 in to 6 ft 7 in) during spring break-up; on rare occasions the community has had to deal with recurring partial and complete flooding. The Attawapiskat kimberlite field is a field of kimberlite pipes in the Canadian Shield located astride the Attawapiskat River on Attawapiskat First Nation land. It

1800-404: Is used only in its original sense, that of the drainage divide line. A drainage basin's boundaries are determined by watershed delineation , a common task in environmental engineering and science. In a closed drainage basin, or endorheic basin , rather than flowing to the ocean, water converges toward the interior of the basin, known as a sink , which may be a permanent lake, a dry lake , or

1890-682: The African Great Lakes , the interiors of Australia and the Arabian Peninsula , and parts in Mexico and the Andes . Some of these, such as the Great Basin, are not single drainage basins but collections of separate, adjacent closed basins. In endorheic bodies of water where evaporation is the primary means of water loss, the water is typically more saline than the oceans. An extreme example of this

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1980-792: The Continental Divide , northern Alaska and parts of North Dakota , South Dakota , Minnesota , and Montana in the United States, the north shore of the Scandinavian peninsula in Europe, central and northern Russia, and parts of Kazakhstan and Mongolia in Asia , which totals to about 17% of the world's land. Just over 13% of the land in the world drains to the Pacific Ocean . Its basin includes much of China, eastern and southeastern Russia, Japan,

2070-681: The Korean Peninsula , most of Indochina, Indonesia and Malaysia, the Philippines, all of the Pacific Islands , the northeast coast of Australia , and Canada and the United States west of the Continental Divide (including most of Alaska), as well as western Central America and South America west of the Andes. The Indian Ocean 's drainage basin also comprises about 13% of Earth's land. It drains

2160-724: The Lawashi Channel begins and takes part of the Attawapiskat's flow into the Lawashi River at a point 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) upstream of that river's mouth at James Bay. The mouth of the Lawashi River is approximately 11 kilometres (7 mi) southeast of the mouth of the Attawapiskat. After the Lawashi Channel branching, the main river continues east, past the community of Attawapiskat 10 kilometres (6 mi) upstream from

2250-412: The groundwater . A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. Attawapiskat First Nation The Attawapiskat First Nation ( / ˌ æ t ə ˈ w ɑː p ɪ s k æ t / Cree: ᐋᐦᑕᐙᐱᐢᑲᑐᐎ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ Āhtawāpiskatowi ininiwak , "People of the parting of

2340-531: The Attawapiskat First Nation had received $ 90 million in transfer payments since the federal Conservative Party was elected in 2006. On December 30, 2012, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development stated that $ 131 million will have been spent on Attawapiskat from 2006 to the end of fiscal year 2012–13, which includes 60 houses that have been renovated or newly constructed; a new school

2430-399: The Attawapiskat First Nation members are aware of their traditions. Since the 1950s, Attawapiskat has developed from a settlement of temporary dwellings, such as tents and teepees , to a community with permanent buildings. These were constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Traditional harvesters from Attawapiskat First Nation continue to regularly hunt caribou, goose, and fish along

2520-516: The Attawapiskat River, while tending trap lines throughout the region (Berkes et al., 1994; Whiteman, 2004). Like many other northern Cree communities, these traditional activities are more than subsistence, comprising an important part of local culture and identity (Inf. #2, 4). Therefore, the community leadership was very concerned with the proposed development of the Victor mine, and, at De Beers' invitation, sought to ensure that any environmental impacts of

2610-483: The Attawapiskat River, while tending trap lines throughout the region (Berkes et al., 1994; Whiteman, 2004). Their activities go beyond subsistence hunting and fishing, as these comprise an important part of local culture and identity (Inf. #2, 4). The Hudson's Bay Company introduced the commercial fur trapping economy in the late 17th century when they established a trading post in Fort Albany. The post in Attawapiskat

2700-525: The James Bay coastline in the James Bay drainage basin. It is located 52°55′21″N 82°25′31″W  /  52.92250°N 82.42528°W  / 52.92250; -82.42528 in the Kenora District , the extreme north of Ontario. Timmins, the nearest urban centre, is located approximately 500 kilometres (310 mi) south. Moosonee is 160 kilometres (99 mi) south of Attawapiskat. The vegetation

2790-907: The Marten-Drinking River, the Otoskwin River and the Pineimuta River. There are two outflows from the Attawapiskat Lake into the Attawapiskat River: a southern and a northern channel. The southern channel is named by the Atlas of Canada as the Attawapiskat River, and is the source location listed in the Infobox at right. The northern channel is named by the Atlas of Canada as the North Channel, and

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2880-695: The THMs. Exposure to tap water has to be limited and filters only help in some cases. Homes are mainly pre-fabricated wooden structures with newer trailer units arriving after the 2011 floods. On October 28, 2011, the Attawapiskat First Nations leadership declared a state of emergency in response to dropping temperatures, and the resulting health and safety concerns due to inadequate housing. Many residents were still living in tents, trailers and temporary shelters, and many residences and public buildings lacked running water and electricity. In one case, children,

2970-598: The US, interstate compacts ) or other political entities in a particular drainage basin to manage the body or bodies of water into which it drains. Examples of such interstate compacts are the Great Lakes Commission and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency . In hydrology , the drainage basin is a logical unit of focus for studying the movement of water within the hydrological cycle . The process of finding

3060-588: The University of Manitoba, and a team of academics interviewed 925 aboriginal hunters from eight communities (Attawapiskat, Moose Factory, Moosonee, New Post , Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Peawanuck and Fort Severn ) of the Mushkegowuk region, Hudson and James Bay Lowland. Their results published in 1995, showed "that geographically extensive land use for hunting and fishing persists in the Mushkegowuk region, some 250,000 square kilometres (97,000 sq mi). However,

3150-532: The Victor pipe. Mines from Victor Main and Victor Southwest have appeared close enough to the surface to be used in an open-pit mine. The Victor Kimberlite is a composition of pyroclastic crater facies and hypabyssal facies, and is considered to have a highly variable diamond grade . De Beers Canada officially opened the Victor Diamond Mine , Ontario's first ever diamond mine on July 26, 2008. De Beers has spent approximately $ 1 billion on construction of

3240-547: The activity pattern of Omushkego (West Main) Cree harvesters has changed much over the decades; contemporary harvesting involves numerous short trips of a few days' duration instead of the traditional long trips. Although the First Nations control only 900 square kilometres (350 sq mi) (0.36% of the region) as Indian reserve land, they continue to use large parts of their traditional territory (Berkes et al. 1995:81)." In her Masters thesis (1998) Jacqueline Hookimaw-Witt,

3330-639: The age of 19 and three-quarters are under the age of 35 (2010-12-03). Altogether, 5% of the community, 101 people, have attempted suicide over the seven months from September 2015 to April 2016. Almost all of the Aboriginal population of Attawapiskat speak the Swampy Cree language , one of the varieties of the Cree language , as their first language. Many elders understand very little English; they speak Cree and other Aboriginal languages. Some of these elders, such as Shano Fireman, self-identify as Inninew (person, part of

3420-406: The basin, it can form tributaries that change the structure of the land. There are three different main types, which are affected by the rocks and ground underneath. Rock that is quick to erode forms dendritic patterns, and these are seen most often. The two other types of patterns that form are trellis patterns and rectangular patterns. Rain gauge data is used to measure total precipitation over

3510-420: The community many times that year. In November, 2011, a spokesperson for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs stated that the reserve had received a commitment of $ 500,000 to renovate five vacant housing units, and that it had already received "a significant boost from Canada's Economic Action Plan and funding dedicated to a new subdivision, of which 44 houses have been completed". The Prime Minister stated that

3600-430: The community of Attawapiskat. The mine was expected to produce 600,000 carats (120 kg) of diamonds a year. Drainage area A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth , or flows into another body of water , such as a lake or ocean . A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, the drainage divide , made up of

3690-483: The community's plight by saying: "We just want what any other parent would want for their children – a safe school." A study by B. H. Martin indicates that the total area available for instruction is only about 50% of the space allocated in Indian Affairs' School Space Accommodation Standards. Beginning in 2007, local teenager Shannen Koostachin launched "Education Is a Human Right", an activist campaign to publicize

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3780-554: The community." De Beers has negotiated a lease area. Although it is acknowledged that the mine is on Attawapiskat traditional land, the royalties from Victor Mine flow to the Province of Ontario, not Attawapiskat First Nation. They have 500 full-time employees, with 100 from Attawapiskat First Nation. De Beers also employs Attawapiskat First Nation in winter road construction. The "mine employ[s] 100 people from Attawapiskat at any one time. It generates about $ 400 million in annual revenue for

3870-573: The company. " Sub-contractors from Attawapiskat First Nation also work for the mine. The company has transferred about $ 10.5 million to a trust fund held by Attawapiskat as of January 2011. The Attawapiskat Trust, established January 1, 2007, receives payments made by De Beers Canada and Attawapiskat Limited Partnership (ALP) as part of the Victor Diamond Project Impact and Benefits Agreement (November 3, 2005-11-03) (Financial Statements Attawapiskat Trust 2012 p. 4). The beneficiary of

3960-430: The discharge of water from a basin may be made by a stream gauge located at the basin's outlet. Depending on the conditions of the drainage basin, as rainfall occurs some of it seeps directly into the ground. This water will either remain underground, slowly making its way downhill and eventually reaching the basin, or it will permeate deeper into the soil and consolidate into groundwater aquifers. As water flows through

4050-441: The drainage area is dependent on the soil type. Certain soil types such as sandy soils are very free-draining, and rainfall on sandy soil is likely to be absorbed by the ground. However, soils containing clay can be almost impermeable and therefore rainfall on clay soils will run off and contribute to flood volumes. After prolonged rainfall even free-draining soils can become saturated , meaning that any further rainfall will reach

4140-642: The drainage basin to the mouth, and may accumulate there, disturbing the natural mineral balance. This can cause eutrophication where plant growth is accelerated by the additional material. Because drainage basins are coherent entities in a hydrological sense, it has become common to manage water resources on the basis of individual basins. In the U.S. state of Minnesota , governmental entities that perform this function are called " watershed districts ". In New Zealand, they are called catchment boards. Comparable community groups based in Ontario, Canada, are called conservation authorities . In North America, this function

4230-821: The eastern coast of Africa, the coasts of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf , the Indian subcontinent , Burma, and most parts of Australia . The five largest river basins (by area), from largest to smallest, are those of the Amazon (7 million km ), the Congo (4 million km ), the Nile (3.4 million km ), the Mississippi (3.22 million km ), and the Río de la Plata (3.17 million km ). The three rivers that drain

4320-864: The elderly, and the ill were sleeping in rooms just a few feet away from a 2009 raw sewage spill that had not been adequately cleaned. In his 2011 statement published on the United Nations site, James Anaya , the UN special rapporteur on indigenous peoples, said that many residents in the Attawapiskat First Nation community of "live in unheated shacks or trailers that lack running water." Anaya said that "aboriginal communities face higher rates of poverty, and poorer health, education and employment outcomes than non-aboriginals in Canada." Attawapiskat residents were evacuated during flood conditions in May 2009. The sole elementary school building,

4410-495: The existing operation." Tom Ormsby, claimed that "The high quality of the Victor diamonds and the vastness of the Canadian shield points to great potential for another diamond mine being developed in northeastern Ontario." The "Canadian Shield has great potential to host diamonds" Canada's potential "appears to be at least twice as good as what southern Africa has held for potential for diamonds (Grech 2011-06-22)." "A federal review of

4500-578: The flatter and more boggy Hudson Bay Lowlands . After a series of rapids, the North Channel rejoins the Attawapiskat River (the southern channel) at 52°06′04″N 87°06′07″W  /  52.10111°N 87.10194°W  / 52.10111; -87.10194 at an elevation of 210 metres (689 ft). The river continues east, and makes a bend to the north at Pym Island at 52°12′20″N 86°19′28″W  /  52.20556°N 86.32444°W  / 52.20556; -86.32444 at an elevation of 174 metres (571 ft). The Streatfeild River joins from

4590-516: The greatest portion of western Sub-Saharan Africa , as well as Western Sahara and part of Morocco . The two major mediterranean seas of the world also flow to the Atlantic. The Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico basin includes most of the U.S. interior between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains , a small part of the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan , eastern Central America ,

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4680-435: The ground and along rivers it can pick up nutrients , sediment , and pollutants . With the water, they are transported towards the outlet of the basin, and can affect the ecological processes along the way as well as in the receiving water body . Modern use of artificial fertilizers , containing nitrogen (as nitrates ), phosphorus , and potassium , has affected the mouths of drainage basins. The minerals are carried by

4770-744: The ground at its terminus, the area can go by several names, such playa, salt flat, dry lake , or alkali sink . The largest endorheic basins are in Central Asia , including the Caspian Sea , the Aral Sea , and numerous smaller lakes. Other endorheic regions include the Great Basin in the United States, much of the Sahara Desert , the drainage basin of the Okavango River ( Kalahari Basin ), highlands near

4860-687: The ground breaking for a new elementary school on June 22, 2012. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo congratulated the community that day. On September 8, 2014, the new Kattawapiskak Elementary School was officially opened. On May 1, 2013, officials announced the closure of all schools in the community because of flooding. A state of emergency was declared after eleven people attempted suicide on April 9, 2016. A document signed by Chief Bruce Shisheesh and eight councillors reflects that there were twenty-eight suicide attempts during March 2016. More than one hundred fifty people attempted suicide between September 2015 and April 2016, and

4950-619: The islands of the Caribbean and the Gulf, and a small part of northern South America. The Mediterranean Sea basin, with the Black Sea , includes much of North Africa , east-central Africa (through the Nile River ), Southern , Central, and Eastern Europe , Turkey , and the coastal areas of Israel , Lebanon , and Syria . The Arctic Ocean drains most of Western Canada and Northern Canada east of

5040-433: The lack of educational opportunities for First Nations youth. Koostachin was killed in a car accident near New Liskeard , where she was attending high school, in 2010. The campaign was subsequently renamed Shannen's Dream in her memory, and continues to operate. The campaign was the subject of Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin 's award-winning 2013 documentary film Hi-Ho Mistahey! Attawapiskat First Nation marked

5130-481: The mine would be effectively mitigated. An Impact-Benefit Agreement (IBA) was signed with community leaders in 2005 with Danny Metatawabin, acting as coordinator for the Impact-Benefit Agreement (IBA) between De Beers and Attawapiskat. Community members later protested the agreement through demonstrations and roadblocks, claiming that the community's share of the "bounty from the mine isn't getting back to

5220-482: The mine. It is an open-pit mine located 90 kilometres (56 mi) west of the settlement of Attawapiskat on Attawapiskat First Nation traditional land mining two pipes in the field at 52°49′14″N 83°53′00″W  /  52.82056°N 83.88333°W  / 52.82056; -83.88333 . The mine expected to produce 600,000 carats (120 kg) of diamonds a year. Traditional harvesters from Attawapiskat First Nation regularly hunt caribou, goose, and fish along

5310-459: The missionaries. It initially operated as a summer school that was only open in July and August so that it would not interfere with traditional life. Attawapiskat School, designed in 1951 by Lennox Grafton , who was one of the first Canadian women architects, opened in 1953. Primary school students attended J.R. Nakogee School, which was constructed in the 1970s and opened in 1976. J.R. Nakogee School

5400-506: The most water, from most to least, are the Amazon, Ganges , and Congo rivers. Endorheic basin are inland basins that do not drain to an ocean. Endorheic basins cover around 18% of the Earth's land. Some endorheic basins drain to an Endorheic lake or Inland sea . Many of these lakes are ephemeral or vary dramatically in size depending on climate and inflow. If water evaporates or infiltrates into

5490-561: The mouth, and exits into the James Bay at the Akimiski Strait, across from Akimiski Island . Less than 100 kilometres (62 mi) from its mouth, the Attawapiskat has carved out several clusters of spectacular high limestone islands , nicknamed by canoeists the "Birthday Cakes". The formations are unique to the region, the Swampy Cree (Omushkegowuk) word for which, tawâpiskâ (as " kâh-tawâpiskâk " in its Conjunct form and as " êh-tawâpiskât " in its Participle form), gives name to

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5580-555: The people Cree). St. Ignatius Catholic Church, built in 1935, was the only place of "westernized" worship in Attawapiskat for many years and also maintains the local cemetery. St. Ignatius is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Keewatin–Le Pas . A second large burial grounds, St. Mary Cemetery, is located in the west end of town. Other places of "westernized" worship are two Pentecostal places of worship. "[A]ncestors of today's Attawapiskat band occupied all

5670-403: The people attempting suicide, in addition to already ill patients. Attawapiskat is a coastal community in the western Hudson Bay Lowland , a vast wetland located between the Canadian Shield and James Bay and Hudson Bay . The town or hamlet of Attawapiskat now covers 1.32 square kilometres (330 acres) of land and is located along the Attawapiskat River, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) inland from

5760-453: The quantities of organics without over-compensation with chemicals. Two consecutive treatment plants have failed, causing health problems. According to GENIVAR senior engineer, Rod Peters (2012), "The real problem is that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) level is just too high to start. When you chlorinate the filtered water, trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acid (HAA5s) are formed within five minutes of contact." As well there's bromide in

5850-418: The rainfall on the area of land included in its polygon. These polygons are made by drawing lines between gauges, then making perpendicular bisectors of those lines form the polygons. The isohyetal method involves contours of equal precipitation are drawn over the gauges on a map. Calculating the area between these curves and adding up the volume of water is time-consuming. Isochrone maps can be used to show

5940-604: The raw water from the slough which reacts with the ozonate bromide used in the filtration process, turning to "bromate, which is a carcinogen." "Not only, then, did the original design not work properly, but it presented potential health hazards. Technically, the filtration system in Attawapiskat right now will not be able to bring water to compliance with the recommended drinking water quality guidelines for Health Canada", Peters confirms. Attawapiskat has been plagued with water "supply, treatment, and distribution challenges" since at least 1992, according to Peters. In c. 2009 GENIVAR

6030-550: The region. These formations (and therefore the river and community) are called kāh-tawāpiskāk in Swampy Cree. Attawapiskat is home to the Mushkego, Omushkego James Bay Cree . They are also known as Mushkegowuk Cree Omushkegowuk Cree, western James Bay, west-coast, Swampy, Omushkego, and Hudson Bay Lowland Cree (General 2012:2). The town site has for centuries been a gathering place for local Native people; they used and occupied

6120-456: The relationship between De Beers' Victor mine and Attawapiskat showed that government support for training and capacity did not start soon enough to deal with the huge lack of skills in the First Nation." There are over 2,800 members of Attawapiskat First Nation, but the local on-reserve population was 1,549 according to the 2011 census. More than a third of the members of the Attawapiskat First Nation who still live on their home reserve are under

6210-438: The renovation of the 25-year-old frame school was used to pay for construction of eight double and three single portable classrooms. The facilities were basic, with none of the supplementary resources available to schools in other parts of the province. A new school was promised by the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs in the summer of 2000, but no action was taken for several years. The Education Authority's Chairman summed up

6300-572: The responsibility of the countries sharing it. Nile Basin Initiative , OMVS for Senegal River , Mekong River Commission are a few examples of arrangements involving management of shared river basins. Management of shared drainage basins is also seen as a way to build lasting peaceful relationships among countries. The catchment is the most significant factor determining the amount or likelihood of flooding . Catchment factors are: topography , shape, size, soil type, and land use (paved or roofed areas). Catchment topography and shape determine

6390-408: The right at an elevation of 148 metres (486 ft), and the outlet river from McFaulds Lake , centre of the Northern Ontario Ring of Fire geological area, joins from the left 17 kilometres (11 mi) further downstream at 52°48′10″N 85°54′45″W  /  52.80278°N 85.91250°W  / 52.80278; -85.91250 at an elevation of 139 metres (456 ft). Further downstream,

6480-461: The river rather than being absorbed by the ground. If the surface is impermeable the precipitation will create surface run-off which will lead to higher risk of flooding; if the ground is permeable, the precipitation will infiltrate the soil. Land use can contribute to the volume of water reaching the river, in a similar way to clay soils. For example, rainfall on roofs, pavements , and roads will be collected by rivers with almost no absorption into

6570-724: The river then heads east once again. The Muketei River joins the Attawapiskat from the left at 53°08′36″N 85°17′38″W  /  53.14333°N 85.29389°W  / 53.14333; -85.29389 at an elevation of 105 metres (344 ft), and the Missisa River joins from the right 28 kilometres (17 mi) further downstream at 53°01′36″N 84°54′02″W  /  53.02667°N 84.90056°W  / 53.02667; -84.90056 at an elevation of 98 metres (322 ft). At 52°56′32″N 83°10′10″W  /  52.94222°N 83.16944°W  / 52.94222; -83.16944 at an elevation of 30 metres (98 ft)

6660-530: The river. The Attawapiskat kimberlite field lies astride the river. Otoskwin/Attawapiskat River Provincial Park includes parts of the river from Attawapiskat Lake to a point just upstream of the confluence with the Muketei River. Since June 26, 2008, the De Beers Victor Diamond Mine , in the Attawapiskat kimberlite field, has operated near the river about 90 kilometres (56 mi) west of

6750-412: The rocks"; unpointed: ᐊᑕᐗᐱᐢᑲᑐᐎ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ ) is an isolated First Nation located in Kenora District in northern Ontario , Canada, at the mouth of the Attawapiskat River on James Bay . The traditional territory of the Attawapiskat First Nation extends beyond their reserve up the coast to Hudson Bay and hundreds of kilometres inland along river tributaries. The community is connected to other towns along

6840-520: The shore of James Bay by the seasonal ice road / winter road constructed each December, linking it to the towns of Kashechewan First Nation , Fort Albany , and Moosonee (Minkin 2008:1) Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, and Kashechewan operate and manage the James Bay Winter Road through the jointly owned Kimesskanemenow Corporation, named after the Cree word for "our road" - kimesskanemenow . Attawapiskat

6930-418: The speed with which the runoff reaches a river. A long thin catchment will take longer to drain than a circular catchment. Size will help determine the amount of water reaching the river, as the larger the catchment the greater the potential for flooding. It is also determined on the basis of length and width of the drainage basin. Soil type will help determine how much water reaches the river. The runoff from

7020-511: The territory from the Kapiskau River in the south, to Hudson Bay (Cape Henrietta Maria) in the north, and from Akimiski Island in the east to Lake Mississa (150 miles inland) to the west. This has been contended by the present day chief and council [oral history], is supported by documentation in the archives of the HBC [Hudson's Bay Company], and was documented by Honigmann [1948]." A land use study

7110-415: The time taken for rain to reach the river, while catchment size, soil type, and development determine the amount of water to reach the river. Generally, topography plays a big part in how fast runoff will reach a river. Rain that falls in steep mountainous areas will reach the primary river in the drainage basin faster than flat or lightly sloping areas (e.g., > 1% gradient). Shape will contribute to

7200-477: The time taken for runoff water within a drainage basin to reach a lake, reservoir or outlet, assuming constant and uniform effective rainfall. Drainage basins are the principal hydrologic unit considered in fluvial geomorphology . A drainage basin is the source for water and sediment that moves from higher elevation through the river system to lower elevations as they reshape the channel forms. Drainage basins are important in ecology . As water flows over

7290-595: The total. It is estimated that $ 84 million is needed for housing alone in Attawapiskat. The crisis is the subject of a 2012 documentary by First Nations filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin , The People of the Kattawapiskak River , and the 2015 documentary After the Last River by Victoria Lean. Obomsawin was present in the community in 2011, working on another film for the National Film Board of Canada , when

7380-578: The trust includes "all members of Attawapiskat on a collective and undivided basis (Financial Statements Attawapiskat Trust 2012 p. 4)." Victor was forecast to have a "17-year cradle-to-grave life. That includes construction, an estimated 12 years of operation and then winding down to closure and rehabilitation of the site (Grech 2011-06-22)." In an interview with CBC reporter Megan Thomas in Sudbury, Ontario (CBC 2013-02-06), De Beers' Victor Mine spokesperson explained that Victor Mine could be exhausted by 2018 as

7470-641: The world's land drains to the Atlantic Ocean . In North America , surface water drains to the Atlantic via the Saint Lawrence River and Great Lakes basins, the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, the Canadian Maritimes , and most of Newfoundland and Labrador . Nearly all of South America east of the Andes also drains to the Atlantic, as does most of Western and Central Europe and

7560-412: Was asked by the community and Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Canada (AANDC, then INAC) "to identify a suitable water intake site on the Attawapiskat River" (Freek 2012). In March 2012 there was a Health Canada advisory warning residents to "minimize their exposure to household tap water". This means bottled water for most residents. Boiling water does not make it safe to drink because it does not remove

7650-746: Was carried out "jointly by the Research Program for Technology Assessment in Subarctic Ontario (TASO), the Mushkegowuk Council, its constituent First Nations, and the Omushkegowuk Harvesters Association. The overall purpose of the project was to help the regional Council and its associations develop a strategy for natural resource co-management, self-government, and sustainable regional development. In 1990 Dr. Fikret Berkes , Distinguished Professor and Canada Research Chair at

7740-427: Was closed on May 11, 2000, because of site contamination and possible health problems attributed to a massive diesel leak that had occurred in 1979. The students and staff have since been using portables for classes. Secondary school students attend Vezina Secondary School, which was established in the early 1990s with additions built in following years. The secondary school was founded by John B. Nakogee in 1991 and it

7830-426: Was established toward the end of the 19th century (Honigmann 1953:816). Attawapiskat was also once an outpost of Revillon Frères . Elders now living in Attawapiskat reported that in the 1930s and 1940s, they sent their children to Saint Anne's Residential School in Fort Albany (1936–1964). At the time there was no school in Attawapiskat. The same group of elders described the first school in Attawapiskat, built by

7920-430: Was named after Father Rodigue Vezina, a local Catholic priest who has served the community since 1975. Before the high school was opened in 1991, high school students had to go to Timmins, North Bay, or Ottawa for their studies. As noted above, in May 2000, the First Nation was forced to close its elementary school and the community's students were educated in a series of portables . Money that had been allocated for

8010-403: Was no running water. When in 1976, AANDC recommended that the community water supply should come not from the river but from an inland lake (slough) just northeast of the hamlet, community members using traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) were aware that the water intake site proposed was too high in organics. They were right and no filtration system since then has proven adequate to control

8100-414: Was originally anticipated. It would take several years to close the mine completely. It is not economically viable with present-day technology to mine the deeper remaining 40 metres of diamond-bearing layers. However, the mine had produced at a high level of performance leading to "[f]urther exploration of the site" with the "hope that De Beers will uncover another source of diamonds within close proximity of

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