Nipissis River
The Nipissis River, whose name in the Innu language means "covered with water lilies", is the main tributary of the splendid Moisie River. It drains a 400-square-kilometre watershed and empties into the Moisie at McDonald Falls, after a 150-kilometre journey through an incised valley. The banks of this beautiful river feature a number of cliffs over 200 metres high, which in winter are a delight for ice-climbers.
The Nipissis River is a little more modest in scale than the Moisie, but still boasts a sizeable bed that salmon can potentially swim up to Tongas Falls, some 65 kilometers from where it meets the Moisie. As for McDonald Falls, it's not an insurmountable obstacle for energetic salmon returning to their spawning grounds. However, in 1975, a fish pass was built to facilitate and accelerate the passage of the fish, providing them with 50% more favourable habitat.
In 2019, the Uashat mak Mani-Utemam Band Council officially became the owner of the Moisie-Nipissis Outfitter, built at the confluence of the two rivers. The outfitter comprises 4 kilometers of Nipissis River (and 36 kilometers of Moisie River), including 2 pools, Endicott and de la Chute, out of a grand total of 16 on the two rivers. In this idyllic setting, where respect for nature is deeply rooted in ancestral traditions, salmon graciation is mandatory.
