Environment

Environment

The Onimiki project is supported by the Temiscamingue community and the First Nations of Kebaowek and Wolf Lake.

Onimiki will also be a “run-of-river” power plant because it does not involve any modification of the current capacity and levels of Lake Kipawa and other potential impacted lakes and rivers.

The Organisme du bassin versant du Témiscamingue has conducted a preliminary study which you can consult here.

As additional steps are taken in the project, further studies are conducted to confirm the minimal impact anticipated in the preliminary study conducted by the OBVT. 

Gordon Creek

The nature of the bed of Gordon Creek is stable and the flows it has been subjected to have already been greater than what is anticipated in the Onimiki project.

The hydroelectric potential on Gordon Creek has been exploited in the past. Production ceased after the nationalization of electricity in Quebec, but the hydroelectric potential still exists.

Lake Kipawa

Since 2013, an agreement exists with the CEHQ (Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec) to lower the normal level of Lake Kipawa by 40 cm during the lake trout spawning period. This agreement aims to promote the survival of eggs during the winter tide. The lowering of the water level is done gradually from September 1st to October 20th of each year.

Lake Timiskaming

In Lake Timiskaming, several spawning grounds have been identified in the vicinity, but only one walleye spawning ground is located near the mouth of the Kipawa River. The reproductive success of walleye is very variable from one year to the next. This variation would be mainly related to climatic factors that influence the hatching rate of eggs, the abundance of zooplankton and the abundance of prey available during the first winter.