La Grande River - Hydro-electric Development

Hydro-electric Development

The river has been extensively developed as a source of hydroelectric power by Hydro-Québec, starting in 1974. An area of 9,900 square kilometres (3,800 sq mi) was flooded and almost all of the flow of the Eastmain River and a large portion of the Rupert River were diverted into the La Grande watershed. The following generating stations are on the La Grande River and its tributaries in upstream order:

• La-Grande-1 (LG-1)
• Robert-Bourassa
• La Grande-2A (LG-2A)
• La Grande-3 (LG-3)
• La Grande-4 (LG-4)
• Laforge-1 (LF-1)
• Laforge-2 (LF-2)
• Brisay
• Eastmain-1

As a result of the development projects, the Cree people of the region lost some parts of their traditional hunting and trapping territories (about 10% of the hunting and trapping territories used by the Cree of Chisasibi). Organic mercury levels increased in the fish, which forms an important part of their diet, as the organic material trapped by the rising waters in the new reservoirs began to filter into the food chain. Careful follow-up by Cree health authorities since the 1980s have been largely successful and they continue to promote the regular consumption of fish, with the notable exception of the predatory species living in the reservoirs, which still show high levels of mercury.