Kapuskasing River
Encyclopedia
The Kapuskasing River is a river
in the James Bay
drainage basin
in Cochrane District and Algoma District in northeastern
Ontario
, Canada
. The river is a left tributary of the Mattagami River
.
The river begins at Kapuskasing Lake in geographic Kapuskasing Township, Algoma District, near the railway point of Elsas, on the Canadian National Railway
transcontinental
main line
and the location of Elsas railway station
served by Via Rail
Canadian trains. It flows northeast under the mainline, takes in the right tributary Nemegosenda River, passes over the Jackpine Rapids (bypassed by the Jackpine Portage), the Loon Rapids, the Buchan Falls and the Clouston Rapids, and takes in the right tributary Dunrankin River. It heads north over the Cedar Rapids, heads over the Woman Falls and Old Woman Falls, and passes from geographic Shanly Township, Algoma District into geographic Cargill Township in Cochrane District.
The Kapuskasing River continues northeast over the White Otter Falls, the Bakatase Falls, the Camp Three Rapids and the Big Beaver Falls, takes in the right tributary Saganash River and reaches the town of Kapuskasing, where it is crossed by Ontario Highway 11 and the Ontario Northland Railway
line (formerly Canadian National Railway
, originally the National Transcontinental Railway
). It passes over a hydro dam, the Spruce Falls, takes in the left tributary Lost River and right tributary Remi River, and reaches its mouth at the Mattagami River in geographic Clay Township, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of the community of Fraserdale
. The Mattagami River flows via the Moose River
to James Bay.
generating stations with a combined capacity of 22 MW are under construction at four sites south of the town of Kapuskasing: Big Beaver Falls, Camp Three Rapids, White Otter Falls and Old Woman Falls. Each site features an identical arrangement: location on the left bank of the river; two 2 metre diameter and 45 metres (148 ft) long inflatable diversion floodgates in the river; excavated approach channels and tail races; twin intakes, penstocks
and identical 2.75 MW bulb turbines
. The sites are expected to be in operation by 2012.
In addition, hydroelectric generating stations with a combined capacity of 19.45 MW have been proposed for four sites on the river between its source and to the south of the town of Kapuskasing.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the 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...
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
in Cochrane District and Algoma District in northeastern
Northeastern Ontario
Northeastern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and east of Lakes Superior and Huron.Northeastern Ontario consists of the districts of Algoma, Sudbury, Cochrane, Timiskaming, Nipissing and Manitoulin; and the single-tier municipality of Greater...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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...
. The river is a left tributary of the Mattagami River
Mattagami River
The Mattagami River is a river in the James Bay drainage basin in Cochrane District, Timiskaming District and Sudbury District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada....
.
Course
For a map showing the river course, see this reference.The river begins at Kapuskasing Lake in geographic Kapuskasing Township, Algoma District, near the railway point of Elsas, on the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
transcontinental
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
main line
Main line (railway)
The Mainline or Main line of a railway is a track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which branch lines, yards, sidings and spurs are connected....
and the location of Elsas railway station
Elsas railway station
Elsas railway station is located in the community of Elsas, Ontario, Canada. This station is currently in use by Via Rail. Transcontinental Canadian trains stop here.-External links:*...
served by Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
Canadian trains. It flows northeast under the mainline, takes in the right tributary Nemegosenda River, passes over the Jackpine Rapids (bypassed by the Jackpine Portage), the Loon Rapids, the Buchan Falls and the Clouston Rapids, and takes in the right tributary Dunrankin River. It heads north over the Cedar Rapids, heads over the Woman Falls and Old Woman Falls, and passes from geographic Shanly Township, Algoma District into geographic Cargill Township in Cochrane District.
The Kapuskasing River continues northeast over the White Otter Falls, the Bakatase Falls, the Camp Three Rapids and the Big Beaver Falls, takes in the right tributary Saganash River and reaches the town of Kapuskasing, where it is crossed by Ontario Highway 11 and the Ontario Northland Railway
Ontario Northland Railway
The Ontario Northland Railway is a Canadian railway operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial Crown agency of the government of Ontario....
line (formerly Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
, originally the National Transcontinental Railway
National Transcontinental Railway
The National Transcontinental Railway was a historic Canadian railway between Winnipeg and Moncton. Much of the line is now operated by the Canadian National Railway.-The Grand Trunk partnership:...
). It passes over a hydro dam, the Spruce Falls, takes in the left tributary Lost River and right tributary Remi River, and reaches its mouth at the Mattagami River in geographic Clay Township, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of the community of Fraserdale
Fraserdale, Ontario
Fraserdale is a small community and rail siding in Unorganized Cochrane, North Part in Cochrane District, Northern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Timmins along the Ontario Northland Railway...
. The Mattagami River flows via the Moose River
Moose River (Ontario)
The Moose River is a Canadian river in the Hudson Plains ecozone of northern Ontario which flows 100 km northeast from the junction of the Mattagami and Missinaibi Rivers into James Bay. Its drainage basin is 108,500 km² and it has a mean discharge rate of 1370 m³/s. Its full length...
to James Bay.
Recreation
The Kapuskasing River Walleye Tournament, part of the Northern Ontario Walleye Trail (NOWT), is held annually on the river on a 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) stretch of the river from its mouth upstream.Economy
HydroelectricHydroelectricity
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...
generating stations with a combined capacity of 22 MW are under construction at four sites south of the town of Kapuskasing: Big Beaver Falls, Camp Three Rapids, White Otter Falls and Old Woman Falls. Each site features an identical arrangement: location on the left bank of the river; two 2 metre diameter and 45 metres (148 ft) long inflatable diversion floodgates in the river; excavated approach channels and tail races; twin intakes, penstocks
Penstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
and identical 2.75 MW bulb turbines
Kaplan turbine
The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range of flow and...
. The sites are expected to be in operation by 2012.
In addition, hydroelectric generating stations with a combined capacity of 19.45 MW have been proposed for four sites on the river between its source and to the south of the town of Kapuskasing.
Tributaries
- Tucker Creek (right)
- Torrance Creek (right)
- Hopkins Creek (left)
- Remi River (right)
- Lily Creek (right)
- Lost River (left)
- O'Brien Creek (right)
- Teetzel Creek (left)
- Gough Creek (right)
- Saganash River (right)
- Big Beaver Creek (left)
- Alder Creek (right)
- Pinette Creek (right)
- Shanly Creek (right)
- Graveyard Creek (left)
- Moss Creek (left)
- Oscar Creek (left)
- Allenby Creek (right)
- Wigwam Creek (left)
- MacIntosh Creek (right)
- Dunrankin River (left)
- Nemegosenda River (right)
- Kapuskasing Lake
- Chapleau River