27-666: The Gouin dam is a river infrastructure that created the Gouin Reservoir . This dam is the source of the Saint-Maurice River and is located in the town of La Tuque , in Mauricie , in province Quebec , in Canada. The Gouin dam owes its name to Lomer Gouin (1861-1929), who was premier of Quebec between 1905 and 1920, federal minister of justice between 1921 and 1924 and Lieutenant Governor of Quebec in 1929. The Kikendatch Bay
54-776: A good management of the fish resource. Download coordinates as: Obedjiwan, Quebec Obedjiwan (officially designated as Obedjiwan 28 ) is a First Nations reserve and village on the north shore of Gouin Reservoir in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada. It belongs to the Atikamekw of Opitciwan band of the Atikamekw Nation. Obedjiwan reserve is situated on the north shore of Gouin Reservoir , at 143 kilometres (89 mi) (direct line) south of Chibougamau , 118 kilometres (73 mi) north of Wemotaci and 217 kilometres (135 mi) northwest of La Tuque . The reserve
81-581: A starting point for hunting and fishing expeditions in the region, as well as for forestry projects. Although no paved road leads to the Gouin Reservoir, it is nevertheless accessible by several forested pathways, snowmobile trails and by air. The hydrographic slope of the Gouin Reservoir is accessible by: Outdoor enthusiasts can reach the Gouin Reservoir by canoe waterway from the Canadian National line connecting La Tuque to Senneterre , passing to
108-500: Is a man-made lake , fully within the boundaries of the City of La Tuque , Quebec, Canada. It is not one contiguous body of water, but the collective name for a series of connected lakes separated by innumerable bays , peninsulas , and islands with highly irregular shapes. It has therefore a relative long shoreline of over 5,600 km (3,500 mi) (excluding islands) compared to its surface area of 1,570 km (610 sq mi). It
135-566: Is connected to Gouin Reservoir via Oskélanéo Lake and Oskélanéo River . This river flows on the south shore of Bureau Lake (Gouin Reservoir) . The village of Oskélanéo was formed following the arrival in 1910 of the transcontinental railway ; the station was designated "Oskélanéo River". Through the railway, the village became a supply depot and access point to the Rupert River , Mistassini Lake and other areas of northern Quebec . It also became
162-570: Is equipped with a marina offering various boating services. The reservoir is named after Jean Lomer Gouin , who was Premier of Quebec when, in 1918, the Shawinigan Water & Power Company impounded the reservoir for hydroelectric development. The Gouin Reservoir has a 600 kW station for local use, but is used to control the flow of the St-Maurice River for the stations down-stream (all operated now by Hydro-Québec ). Initially,
189-537: Is formed by the Gouin dam which is located at: Completed in 1948, the dam is equipped with a mini-hydroelectric power station fitted with two turbine-generator sets of 300 kW each, in order to meet the needs of the dam itself, of the staff residences of Hydro-Québec assigned to its maintenance and an outfitter located nearby. Gouin Reservoir The Gouin Reservoir (French: Réservoir Gouin )
216-489: Is located between Lake Kamitcikamac (west) and Wopisiw Bay (East). In front (south side), there is the tip Martel Kiwam jutting into the lake Mamette. The reserve is an enclave within the City of La Tuque . It is the most isolated Atikamekw reserve in Quebec. It is accessible by a long gravel forest road of 146 kilometres (91 mi), which reaches towards the east Quebec Route 167 linking Saint-Félicien to Chibougamau . Hence
243-458: Is located on the reservoir's north shore. During the construction of the first Loutre dam (the name given to the dam prior to the Gouin name as it is known today), the Amerindians lived near Obedjiwan Lake, which was flooded when the reservoir was filled. At that time, the residents moved and rebuilt their village on the site of the present village of Obedjiwan, Quebec . The village of Oskélanéo
270-740: Is the source of the Saint-Maurice River . This large reservoir extends into the cantons of (in order, in row from north to south): With a total of 275 km (171 mi) of waterways, this reservoir is a popular fishing destination with numerous commercial outfitters and private lodges along its shores. There are also a number of outfitters offering recreational tourism activities such hunting trips, fishing trips, excursions in all-terrain vehicles (ex.: snowmobiles, VTT), nautical expeditions, photographic hunting, lodging in cottages, in house-boat, in hostel (auberge)... Many of these outfitters also provide equipment supply and maintenance services related to recreational tourism activities. Generally, each outfitter
297-497: The government of Canada in order to get compensated for the land and the goods lost in the flooding, the delay in the creation of the reserve, and the inadequate size of the reserve created. The claims are still ongoing . Current situation Historic populations: Atikamekw language is still spoken by the vast majority of families, and therefore it is among the indigenous languages least threatened with extinction according to some studies. The language has some similarities with
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#1733271179299324-416: The "Commission des eaux courantes du Québec" ( English: Quebec Running Water Board ) wanted to facilitate the floating of wood that was routed via the Saint-Maurice River , to the paper mills of La Tuque to Trois-Rivières . The first work was built on La Loutre rapids in 1916-1917. The Shawinigan Water & Power Company decided to raise the level of the reservoir in 1948 and it was also decided to divert
351-700: The Atikamekw liked to avoid Europeans who became more and more numerous in the south. At that time, there was still no real settlement although the Oblates built a chapel in 1916, which was located on the left bank of the Saint-Maurice River opposite of the HBC Post, separated by the Obedjiwan Narrows. The area experienced a great change when the dam at La Loutre was constructed in 1917. The reservoir forming behind
378-446: The Gouin reservoir are (clockwise from the Gouin dam): This large reservoir has many bays and islands making navigation complex. Before the existence of geolocation systems that developed in the 2000s, many navigators lost their way on the water. (Clockwise, from the mouth) (Clockwise, from the mouth) The main lakes included in the reservoir or related are: Toussaint , Magnan , McSweeney and Du Mâle Lake . (Clockwise, from
405-547: The area, but also from the eastern James Bay and the upper Ottawa River regions. In 1840, the Hudson's Bay Company deserted Lake Obedjiwan and settled at Kikendatch Lake (now Kikendatch Bay at the outlet of Gouin Reservoir). Yet in 1911, the HBC transferred its Kikendatch Post back to Lake Obedjiwan, causing the Atikamekw also to return to the area. The HBC wanted to move away from competing dealers who undermined its trade at Kikendatch while
432-566: The dam flooded not only hundreds of lakes, including Lake Obediwan, but also the old settlement and its archaeological sites. A new village, 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) west at the current location, was not actually built until 1925 following arduous negotiations with the Commission des eaux courantes . On December 31, 1941, the Quebec Government proclaimed the Lands and Forests Act that provided for
459-422: The distance Obedjiwan-Senneterre is 260 kilometres (160 mi). In this context of distance, the aircraft is a mode of transportation widely used. The word Obedjiwan , written in the standardized Atikamekw spelling as Opitciwan , comes from the roots oba or obe meaning "strait", and djwan meaning "running". So, it can be translated as "current of the strait/narrows/pass". The name, first attributed to
486-417: The distance by road to reach Chibougamau is 124 kilometres (77 mi). From Obedjiwan, Forest road 1045 reaches westward Forest Road 1009, built in the north–south axis to circumvent the Gouin Reservoir to the west; this road goes up to Chapais . The road distance between Obedjiwan and La Tuque is 319 km (198 mi), with a forest road bypassing the Gouin Reservoir on the east side. Toward West,
513-736: The headwaters of the Mégiscane River and the Suzie River , which flowed naturally to James Bay via the Mégiscane River , the Bell River (Quebec) and the Nottaway River ; and to bring their waters to the Saint Lawrence River by the Saint-Maurice River . A series of dikes and canals were needed to divert the water from these rivers and still today; these works are unknown to the general public. The small Atikamekw community of Obedjiwan
540-658: The lake, has undergone many spelling variations. In 1825, when the Hudson's Bay Company set up a post, they called it Waupatchinauganiskau , which is understood to be the original form of the toponym. In 1871, explorer John P. Bignell visited the place and made mention of the name Obidjouan . In 1904, the Fifth Report of the Geographic Board of Canada called it Obiduan and this remained the accepted form until 1964. Other variations included Obijuan and Wabijiwoine . The area of
567-424: The mouth) The many passes between the islands or peninsulas facilitate navigation on the reservoir.(Clockwise, from the mouth) Fish species present include the walleye , northern pike , and sauger . Fishers sometimes catch lake trout and brook trout, but these species are more marginal because this vast body of water is the ideal reference point for pike, which is very fond of small fish. Waterfowl present in
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#1733271179299594-727: The region include the American black duck ( Anas rubripes ), mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ), green-winged teal ( Anas crecca ), ring-necked duck ( Aythya collaris ), common merganser ( Mergus merganser ), hooded merganser ( Lophodytes cucullatus ), common goldeneye ( Bucephala clangula ), bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ), common loon ( Gavia immer ), Canada goose ( Branta canadensis ), bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ). The main mammals in Haute-Mauricie are: moose, white-tailed deer, bears, hares, red foxes, muskrats, skunks and raccoons. The fishermen are required to comply with
621-574: The regulations, especially when the number of catch. Depending on the season, hunting is also regulated by territory, type of game and type of weapon. The "Gouin Reservoir Community Wildlife Area" works to preserve the diversity of wildlife, improve the quality of fishing and protect it. In its role of surveillance of the territory, this non-profit organization collaborates with the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) to maintain
648-495: The reservation of lands for the benefit of "Indians". On January 14, 1944, an area of 2,290 acres (9.3 km ) in the geographic township of Toussaint was transferred from the Government of Quebec to the Government of Canada , and was officially established as the "Obiduan Indian Reserve" on March 21, 1950. It was renamed to "Obedjiwan Indian Reserve" on January 23, 1964. In 2002, the Atikamekw of Opitciwan initiated claims with
675-586: The shores of this lake were a gathering and trading place for the Atikamekw, as well as other indigenous people of surrounding areas, where they engaged in social, economic, and cultural interaction. The Atikamekw procured wheat, flour, and perhaps firearms from the Hurons , in exchange for moose or beaver skins. In 1825, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) and the King's Posts Company established trading posts on Lake Obedjiwan, that quickly attracted indigenous hunters not only from
702-418: The south of the reservoir (railway stops in order from west to east): The village of Parent and the village of Clova, Quebec , both now part of the City of La Tuque . These villages are located approximately 40 km (25 mi) south of the reservoir and are accessible by a forested road and by train with Via Rail . A seaplane base is located at the top of the Gouin dam. The main rivers flowing into
729-401: The upper Saint-Maurice River had long been the homeland of the Atikamekw indigenous people. Lake Obedjiwan (a lake at the headwaters of the Saint-Maurice River that was inundated during the construction of Gouin Reservoir ) was located along important canoe routes to Lac Saint-Jean via Lake Necouba (Lac Nicabau) and to James Bay . In the 17th century, and perhaps since prehistoric times,
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