of Lake Waswanipi; south of the village center of Waswanipi; east of the mouth of Goéland Lake (Waswanipi River); south-east of the mouth of the Nottaway River; east of downtown Matagami; south-west of downtown Chibougamau. The main hydrographic slopes near Opawica Lake are: North side: Opawica River, Chibougamau River, Waswanipi River; East side: Opawica River; South side: Wachigabau Lake, Opawica River, Lichen Lake, Nicobi River; West side: Bachelor River, Lake Waswanipi. From the dam at the mouth of Opawica Lake, the course of the Opawica River flows over first to the northeast to a river bend, then northwesterly to its confluence with the Chibougamau River. This confluence of these two rivers becomes the head of the Waswanipi River. Toponymy This body of water is indicated under the graph "Opawakow Sagagan Gold Sandy Point L." on the map of explorations of Henry O'Sullivan (1897-1899), published in 1900. This toponym is mentioned in the Dictionary of Rivers and Lakes of the Province of Quebec in 1925; this word Cree means there is a pass, a narrowing between sandbanks. The toponym "Lake Opawica" was formalized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, i.e. at the creation of this commission. Notes and references See also Lakes of Nord-du-Québec Eeyou Istchee James Bay Nottaway River drainage basin