Obatogamau River Explained

Obatogamau
Map:Nottaway map.png
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:Canada
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Name2:Quebec
Subdivision Type3:Region
Subdivision Name3:Nord-du-Québec
Length:130.7km (81.2miles)[1]
Source1:Obatogamau Lakes
Source1 Location:Eeyou Istchee Baie-James, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec
Source1 Coordinates:49.6272°N -74.5244°W
Source1 Elevation:365m (1,198feet)
Mouth:Chibougamau River
Mouth Location:Eeyou Istchee Baie-James, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec
Mouth Coordinates:49.8056°N -75.5058°W
Mouth Elevation:320m (1,050feet)

The Obatogamau River is a tributary of the Chibougamau River, flowing into the Regional County Municipality (MRC) of Jamésie, in the Nord-du-Québec, in the province of Quebec, in Canada.

The lower and middle portions of the Obatogamau River hydrographic slope can be reached by route 113 which connects Lebel-sur-Quévillon to Chibougamau and the railway; while the northeast side of Obatogamau Lakes is accessible via route 167 and the railway. This road follows in part the valley of the Obatogamau River.

The surface of the Obatogamau River is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice circulation is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

Toponymy

This hydronym is indicated on a map of 1941. Of Cree origin, the term "Obatogamau" means "tightened by wood, vegetation". This hydronym is indicated in the "Fifth Report of the Geographic Board of Canada 1904", published in Ottawa in 1905, page 46: "Obatogamau; South Lake Chibougamau Lake, Abitibi District, Que.[2]

The toponym "Obatogamau River" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Commission de toponymie du Quebec, i.e. at the creation of this commission[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Atlas of Canada. atlas.nrcan.gc.ca. 2017-12-13.
  2. Source: Names and Places in Quebec, a work of the “Commission de toponymie du Québec”, published in 1994 and 1996 in the form of a printed illustrated dictionary, and under that of a CD-ROM produced by the Société Micro-Intel, in 1997, from this dictionary.
  3. Web site: Commission de toponymie du Québec - List of place names - Toponym: "Obatogamau River". toponymie.gouv.qc.ca. 2017-12-13.