Rupert River

Rupert - Original Art. Catchment area in yellow and orange, now derived range in orange

The Rivière Rupert (French) or Rupert River ( English) is one of the largest rivers in Quebec, Canada.

From its origin in Mistassinisee, the largest natural lake in Québec, it flows 600 km west to Rupert Bay and James Bay. Measured from the source of the inflow Rivière Témiscamie is the river length of 763 km. The original catchment area of ​​43,400 km ² Rupert included.

There are very difficult whitewater sections along the Rupert. Canoeists can handle on Portage trails on the shore this though. The most impressive waterfalls are the Oatmeal Rapids right on the James Bay Road (a series of cascades with an altitude difference of 18 m) and the The Fours near the river end (24 m head ).

The Rupert was an important river of Cree in this region for a long time. Each year, a group of young Cree makes its settlement Waskaganish at the mouth of Rupert on the way upstream to Lake Nemiscau. About the Rivière Rupert is a bridge along the Route de la Baie James.

River diversion

Since November 2009, some of the water of the river Rupert is derived under the James Bay hydroelectric project to the north. Now, the average discharge at its mouth is only 423 m³ / s instead of the original 900 m³ / s

Main tributaries of the Rupert are ( in the downstream direction ):

• Rivière Natastan / Natastan River
• Rivière Lemare / Lemare River - 1290 km ² catchment area
• Rivière à la Marte / Marten River - 4505 km ² catchment area
• Rivière Nemiscau / Nemiscau River - 3015 km ² catchment area

Pictures

Rupert River Lookout

Rupert at the James Bay Road

Oatmeal Rapids