Father Lake


Father Lake is a freshwater body, a tributary of Doda Lake, in the southern part of Eeyou Istchee James Bay, in the administrative region of Nord-du-Québec, in the province of Quebec, in Canada. Father Lake is part of the hydrographic slopes of the Opawica River, the Waswanipi River, the Matagami Lake, the Nottaway River and the James Bay.
The area of Father Lake extends into the townships of Picquet, Royal and Du Guesclin on the territory of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government, southwest of Chapais, Quebec.
Forestry is the main economic activity of the sector. Recreational tourism activities come second, thanks to a navigable body of water of length, including the Doda Lake and the Françoise Lake. The latter is formed by an enlargement of the Opawica River and has a dam built at its mouth.
The watershed of Father Lake is accessible via the R1051 forest road from the north, serving the large peninsula that stretches east for. This peninsula is surrounded to the north by lake Du Guesclin and Françoise Lake; to the East and to the South by Doda Lake; Southwest, by Father Lake. The large bays of this peninsula give the shape of an F at Father Lake.
The surface of Father Lake is generally frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice movement is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

Geography

Toponymy

"Father Lake" and "Doda Lake" were considered until the 19th century as two designated twin lakes and named as a single lake. The English term Father derives from 'Doda Sagaigan’, meaning '’father's lake’' or '’fathers lake’'. Thus, the ancient form Father's Lake has been normalized toponymically. The form "Doda Sagahaigan or Father's L." is indicated in 1900 on a map of the surveyor Henry O'Sullivan.
The toponym "lac Père" was formalized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec when it was created.