Albany River
Encyclopedia
The Albany River is a river in Northern Ontario
, Canada
, which flows northeast from Lake St. Joseph
in Northwestern Ontario
and empties into James Bay
. It is 982 kilometres (610 mi) long to the head of the Cat River, tying it with the Severn River
for the title of longest river in Ontario. Tributaries of this river include the Kenogami River
, Ogoki River
, and Drowning River.
The river was named after James, Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II of England
.
The river empties into the Akimiski Strait on James Bay via a series of channels. The community of Fort Albany
lies on a southern channel and the Kashechewan First Nation
on a northern one.
The river is navigable for the first 400 kilometres (249 mi).
& Cochrane Districts.
There are three diversions in the Albany River watershed, all diverting water from the James Bay drainage basin and all undertaken as part of hydroelectric
projects. Two divert water into Lake Superior
in the Great Lakes Basin
: the Ogoki River has been diverted via Lake Nipigon
and the Nipigon River
(Long Lake Diversion, a diversion of 4273 cubic feet (121 m³) per second); and the headwaters of the Kenogami River have been diverted via Long Lake and the Aguasabon River
(diversion of 1377 cubic feet (39 m³) per second). The third diverts the waters of Lake St. Joseph via the English River
and Nelson River
into Hudson Bay
(diversion of 3072 cubic feet (87 m³) per second).
operated a trading
post at Fort Albany at the mouth of this river, which was an important route during the days of the fur trade, though less so than the Hayes River
. The first inland post of the Hudson's Bay Company
, named Henley House, was established at the confluence of the Kenogami River and Albany River in 1743.
The land north of the Albany River was part of the Northwest Territories
until 1912, when it was transferred to Ontario in the Ontario Boundaries Extension Act, 1912.
.
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which flows northeast from Lake St. Joseph
Lake St. Joseph
Lake St. Joseph is a large body of water located in Northwestern Ontario. It is accessed by Highway 599 from the town of Ignace. The closest town is Pickle Lake. This lake is a large freshwater fishery with a wilderness designation. Persons wishing to fish this lake must receive a special...
in Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
and empties into James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
. It is 982 kilometres (610 mi) long to the head of the Cat River, tying it with the Severn River
Severn River (northern Ontario)
The Severn River is a river in northern Ontario. The northern Ontario river has its headwaters near the western border of the province. From the head of the Black Birch River, the Severn River is long and its drainage basin is 102,800 km² , a small portion of which is in Manitoba...
for the title of longest river in Ontario. Tributaries of this river include the Kenogami River
Kenogami River
The Kenogami River is a river in the James Bay drainage basin in Thunder Bay and Cochrane districts in Northern Ontario, Canada, which flows north from Long Lake near Longlac to empty into the Albany River. The river is in length and its name means "long water" in the Cree language...
, Ogoki River
Ogoki River
The Ogoki River is a river in the Thunder Bay and Cochrane Districts of Ontario.The river flows northeast from lakes west of Lake Nipigon to Ogoki, where it joins the Albany River which empties into James Bay. The river is 480 km in length...
, and Drowning River.
The river was named after James, Duke of York and Albany, who later became King James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
.
Course
The river begins at Lake St. Joseph at an elevation of 371 metres (1,217 ft). and flows over the Rat Rapids dam and under Ontario Highway 599 into Osnaburgh Lake. From there it flows via a Main Channel (northern) and South Channel around Kagami Island northeast, and takes in the right tributary Misehkow River and left tributary Etowamami River. The river continues over the Upper Eskakwa Falls, takes in the right tributary Shabuskwia River, and travels over the Eskakwa Falls and Snake Falls.The river empties into the Akimiski Strait on James Bay via a series of channels. The community of Fort Albany
Fort Albany, Ontario
Fort Albany First Nation is a community in within the Cochrane District of Northern Ontario, Canada. Situated on the southern shore of the Albany River, Fort Albany First Nation is only accessible by air or by winter road....
lies on a southern channel and the Kashechewan First Nation
Kashechewan First Nation
The Kashechewan First Nation is a Cree First Nation located near James Bay in Northern Ontario, Canada. The community is located on the northern shore of the Albany River. Kashechewan First Nation is one of two communities that were established from Old Fort Albany in the 1950s...
on a northern one.
The river is navigable for the first 400 kilometres (249 mi).
Watershed
This river drains an area of 135200 square kilometres (52,201 sq mi) and has a mean discharge of 1420 cubic metres (50,147 cu ft) per second. For much of its length, the river defines the boundary between Kenora District and Thunder BayThunder Bay District
Thunder Bay District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The district seat is Thunder Bay....
& Cochrane Districts.
There are three diversions in the Albany River watershed, all diverting water from the James Bay drainage basin and all undertaken as part of hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
projects. Two divert water into Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
in the Great Lakes Basin
Great Lakes Basin
The Great Lakes Basin consists of the Great Lakes and the surrounding lands of the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada, whose direct surface runoff and watersheds form a large...
: the Ogoki River has been diverted via Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon is the largest lake entirely within the boundaries of the Canadian province of Ontario . It is sometimes described as the sixth Great Lake. Lying 260 metres above sea level, the lake drains into the Nipigon River and thence into Nipigon Bay of Lake Superior...
and the Nipigon River
Nipigon River
The Nipigon River is about long and 50 to 200 m wide in Ontario, Canada. The river drains Lake Nipigon into Nipigon Bay in Lake Superior, dropping from an elevation of 260 m to 183 m .-History:...
(Long Lake Diversion, a diversion of 4273 cubic feet (121 m³) per second); and the headwaters of the Kenogami River have been diverted via Long Lake and the Aguasabon River
Aguasabon River
The Aguasabon River is a river in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. The river originates at Chorus Lake and empties into Lake Superior near the community of Terrace Bay.The Aguasabon is in length, and plunges down at the Aguasabon Falls...
(diversion of 1377 cubic feet (39 m³) per second). The third diverts the waters of Lake St. Joseph via the English River
English River
English River may refer to:* English River , United States* English River , Canada, a river* English River, Ontario, a town* English River, Seychelles, known as La Rivière Anglaise in French...
and Nelson River
Nelson River
The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Its full length is , it has mean discharge of , and has a drainage basin of , of which is in the United States...
into Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
(diversion of 3072 cubic feet (87 m³) per second).
History
The Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
operated a trading
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
post at Fort Albany at the mouth of this river, which was an important route during the days of the fur trade, though less so than the Hayes River
Hayes River
The Hayes River is a river in Northern Region, Manitoba, Canada that flows from Molson Lake to Hudson Bay at York Factory. It was an historically important river in the development of Canada, and is today a Canadian Heritage River and the longest naturally flowing river in Manitoba.-Course:The...
. The first inland post of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, named Henley House, was established at the confluence of the Kenogami River and Albany River in 1743.
The land north of the Albany River was part of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
until 1912, when it was transferred to Ontario in the Ontario Boundaries Extension Act, 1912.
Economy
A provincial waterway park has been established on the river north of Wabakimi Provincial ParkWabakimi Provincial Park
Wabakimi Provincial Park is a wilderness park located to the northwest of Lake Nipigon in the province of Ontario, Canada. The park contains a vast and interconnected network of more than 2,000 kilometres of lakes and rivers...
.
Tributaries
- Kenogami River (R)
- Ogoki River (R)
- Shabuskwia River (R)
- Etowamami River (L)
- Misehkow River (R)
- Lake St. Joseph
- Cat River
Communities
- Kashechewan First Nation
- Fort Albany
- Ogoki Post, Marten Falls (Marten Falls First NationMarten Falls First NationMarten Falls First Nation is an Anishinaabe First Nation located in northern Ontario. The First Nation occupies communities on both sides of the Albany River in Northern Ontario, including Ogoki Post in the Cochrane District and Marten Falls in the Kenora District...
) - Osnaburgh (Mishkeegogamang First NationMishkeegogamang First NationMishkeegogamang First Nation, also known as New Osnaburgh, Osnaburgh House, Osnaburgh or "Oz" for short, is an Ojibwa First Nation in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located on Highway 599 in the Kenora District, approximately 20 kilometres south of Pickle Lake...
)