Geomorphology, the marriage of geology and erosion
The topography of the area is highly representative of the Canadian Shield with its round-topped mountains, broad plateaus and fens. Indeed, these old volcanic chains formed crystalline rocks are stressed by erosion for a long time since they have almost half the age of the Earth is about 2.8 billion years. First formed by underwater volcanoes in the tropics, the ocean floor was later recovered by plate tectonics, to form the northern part of the Canadian Shield. The proof of "pillow lavas" and "breaches of castings" are still visible north of Opemisca Lake. Their formation is explained by the rapid cooling of hot lava under seawater
Laves coussinées, lac Opémisca
Rémy Morin - Le volcanisme au Québec |
Brèche de coulée, secteur de Chapais
Rémy Morin - Le volcanisme au Québec |
Meanwhile, the volcanic eruption was still underground. The lava that flowed to the surface remained trapped in cracks and confined spaces below ground. One form data is similar to the head of a fungus known as "pluton". Under the current lake Opémisca, we find the Pluton Opémisca which partly explains why the lake is shallow south of Grosse Ile.
Then, this huge piece of land came into contact with another continent to form the Southern Shield today. When this impact called "orogeny", the ground is raised to create, among others, the mountains and Témiscamie Otish. This demarcation, defining the Grenville Front, is today the line of watershed between the watersheds of the James Bay and the St. Lawrence River. It is visible in the park around the Chibougamau 188 km when we move from greenstone rocks of pink colors. This limit is also used to delineate the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean and James Bay region. Upon impact, fractures in the rock were formed to allow escape from the pressure under the earth. These large faults that create depressions parallel to the direction of impact northeast / southwest are the source of the majority of elongated lakes of the territory whose lakes Opémisca, Mistassini and Chibougamau.
Similarly, the current form of water bodies has been completed by glacial abrasion which facilitated cavities with an advance of the glacier towards the southwest and the ballast till (unsorted material left on up by the glacier) on the summits. Several typical shapes can be observed in the region following the transition and melting glaciers as eskers, clay deposits, or the beautiful beaches of fine golden sand.
North-of-Québec
North-of-Québec is coving 840,000 km2 or 55% of the area of Quebec. In turn, the Northern Quebec is divided into two parts: the north Nunavik and James Bay south. Nunavik is inhabited by just fewer than 10,000 people. It is 95% Inuit and 5% by non-natives and Cree. . This region is original for its villages along the coast and the lack of access roads by ensuring that travel is at the option of air and maritime transport. There is an exception in this region, it is the village of Kawawachikamach located inland, on the border between Labrador and Quebec. This small village is composed of indigenous origin Naskapi.
In addition, management is based on Nunavik the Kativik Regional Government, which is the same as a Regional Municipality counted with a municipal management in communities. From this, the negotiations with the federal and provincial governments are underway to establish an autonomous government for Nunavik.
James-Bay
The James Bay region is between:
the 49th parallel south
The 55th parallel north
Ontario and James Bay to the west
line of the watershed and the 70th meridian east
James Bay is composed of:
4 cities : Chapais, Chibougamau, Lebel-sur-Quevillon and Matagami
4 hamlets and settlements: Radisson, Villebois-Valcanton, Desmaraisville and Miquelon
8 communities: Bougoumou, Mistissini, Waswanipi, Nemaska, Waskaganish, Eastmain, Wemindji and Chissasibi
Land area is 350,000 km2 or 20% of the area from all over Quebec (equivalent to 1 times in Germany and 2/3 of France). The territory is divided between the land of Category 1, 2 and 3 for Aboriginal communities, municipal boundaries, the Wildlife Reserve of lakes Albanel, Mistassini and Waconichi well as the Municipality of James Bay, which alone covers the vast Most of the area.
The region is inhabited by around 16,000 immigrants and more than 13,000 indigenous. Moreover, the face of the James Bay population will change as the Cree population is growing that it doubles every seven years.
It is possible to access the area by Highway 117 in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and then by 109, 111 and 113 towards Northern Quebec. A loop can be made by the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean via Route 167. So that access by the 167, the Chapais is located 550 km from Quebec City and 700 km from Montreal. Moreover, it is possible to access the region by air as daily departures take place from the airport to the Chapais-Chibougamau Roberval, Montreal and northern native villages. Once in the region, the Route de la Baie-James that is paved is well known because it allows access from Matagami to the locality of Radisson, where it is possible to visit the hydroelectric dams. To access the Route de la Baie-James from Chibougamau, it is shorter to take the North Road which is gravel and maintained all year. Finally, Route Transtaïga gravel also provides access to the interior of Quebec along the successive dams Hydro-Quebec from the north of the Route de la Baie-James.
The region of James Bay is known for its numerous lakes. Moreover, the largest natural lake of fresh water in Quebec is located in the territory, it is Lake Mistassini. This area contains the largest population of brook trout trophy in the world thanks to a perfect food chain and extremely productive spawning grounds.
Lake Opemisca
This lake is 18 km long and an average width of 3.3 km. Its very irregular contours total a perimeter of 148 km to give a total area of ??approximately 77 km2. This lake is in fact an enlargement of the Chibougamau River, which flows through rivers and Waswanipi Nottaway. Its area includes several large bays, islands and peninsulas.
The name also refers Opemisca a mountain north of the lake. Mount Opemisca an altitude of 540 meters (about 1780 feet) is seen from the beach and camping is better known as the "mountain of the Mummy" and even "pregnant woman" to because of its typical form.
Opemisca also can be written Opémiska. It would be a Cree name, whose meaning is difficult to paddle. In the Montagnais language, the word Opemisca can also spelled Opamiska mean, it is a bit high. By cons, in Algonquin term, the word Pamiska refers to a place where the lake is dotted with weeds. The area surrounding the lake is actually very marshy.
The proximity of Chapais, about ten kilometers, is making this lake popular for outdoor activities and resort. Along the West Bay, there are many cottages and a campground with a beach which reminds us that this lake was also known in the past under the name of Lake Sabloneuse the strike, probably a variant inspired relationship made ??in 1901 by Henry O'Sullivan of his expedition in the region. The explorer has in fact the translation of Sandy Beach Lake to Lake that the form of Lake Opamiska.
Source : Noms et lieux du Québec : dictionnaire illustré, Commission de toponymie, Publication du Québec, Ste-Foy, 1994, 925p.
Le lac Presqu'île serait d'origine exta-terrestre
We know the meteorite of Charlevoix, of Manicouagan and more recently the New Quebec Crater Lake, but the Presqu'île, where the town of Chapais draws its drinking water, is also one of seven meteor collisions recorded in Quebec by Geological Survey of Canada.
Lake of the Presqu'île studied during the last decade has been spectacular since scientists have discovered a few areas of metamorphic rock formation characteristics of a meteorite, called the "shock cone". Indeed, circumstantial evidence shows that there are approximately 750 million years ago, a meteorite hit the earth here. Today the crater is about 20 km in diameter would have suffered up to 3000 meters of vertical erosion. What makes it difficult to identify today. The circular shape of the peninsula of the lake, however, reinforces the thesis of a meteorite collision.
Énergie mines et ressources 32G/10
Hyperliens intéressants sur le sujet :
http://gdcinfo.agg.nrcan.gc.ca/crater/world_craters_f.html
http://wwwdsa.uqac.uquebec.ca/~mhiggins/MIAC/MIAC.html