Wanapitei River

The Wanapitei River (French: Rivière Wanapitei) is a river in Northeastern Ontario, Canada.[1] It is in the Great Lakes Basin and is a right tributary of the French River.

Wanapitei River
Wanapitei River near Wanup
Location of the mouth of the Wanapitei River in Ontario
Etymology	from the Ojibwa waanabidebiing for "concave-tooth [shaped] water"
Location
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Region	Northeastern Ontario
District	Sudbury
Physical characteristics
Source	Scotia Lake
• location	10 km west of McKee's Camp
• coordinates	47°07′54″N 81°23′27″W
• elevation	399 m (1,309 ft)
Mouth	French River
• location	8 km WSW of Hartley Bay
• coordinates	46°01′34″N 80°51′37″W[1]
• elevation	182 m (597 ft)
Length	120 km (75 mi)
Basin features
River system	Great Lakes Basin
Tributaries
• left	East Wanapitei River

The river's source is Scotia Lake, a small lake 20 kilometres (10 mi) east of Halfway Lake Provincial Park in Sudbury District. From there, it flows north and east, taking in two small tributaries and continuing to a point 20 kilometres southwest of the Ishpatina Ridge, where it turns south. After approximately 60 kilometres, the river flows into Lake Wanapitei in the northeastern portion of Greater Sudbury. At the south end of the lake, the river continues, flowing south until it joins the French River near the latter's mouth on Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. The river is approximately 120 kilometres (70 mi) in length and is a popular wilderness canoeing route.

Ontario Power Generation operates three hydroelectric generating stations on the river as well as one control dam, at Wanapitei Lake.[2]

The river's name comes from the Ojibwa word waanabidebiing, or "concave-tooth [shaped] water", which describes the shape of Lake Wanapitei. A community which takes its name from the river is spelled Wahnapitae. However, the Wanapitei spelling is correct for both the lake and the river.

On June 2, 2013, a rail bridge crossing the Wanapitei River at Wanup collapsed, causing a train derailment.[3]