Koksoak River

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Catchment area of ​​the Koksoak in yellow, derived catchment area of ​​Caniapiscau in orange

The Rivière Koksoak flows in the north of the Canadian province of Quebec and is the largest stream in the Nunavik region.

Kuujjuaq, Inuit settlement and administrative center, located on the banks of the Koksoak about 50 km south of its mouth.

It is believed that the name " Koksoak " comes from missionaries of the Moravian Church, which visited the area at the beginning of British rule and the Inuktitut word " Kuujjuaq " for " Great River" took over.

In the 19th century, the river also " Large " or "Southern River " was called, derived from the " South Bay ", as then, the Ungava Bay said. In 1916, the name " Koksoak " was officially adopted for the river.

The Koksoak formed by the confluence of the two rivers Rivière aux Mélèzes coming from the west and the Rivière Caniapiscau from the south. The Koksoak flows approximately 80 km east- north-easterly direction to Ungava Bay. Here, the river at the village of Kuujjuaq flows past, from where the river about 50 km to the north to its mouth continues to flow. The total length of Koksoak and its source river Caniapiscau is 874 km. Its catchment area covers an area of ​​133,400 km ². In 1985, the upper reaches of the Canaipiscau was partially derived for the James Bay hydroelectric project. 45 % of the water now flows from Caniapiscau Reservoir further into the Rivière La Grande Rivière Laforge and the west.