Nicabau Lake is a freshwater body of the unorganized territory of

Lac-Ashuapmushuan, Quebec Lac-Ashuapmushuan is an unorganized territory in the Canadian province of Quebec, Canada, located in the regional county municipality of Le Domaine-du-Roy. The region had a population of 140 as of the Canada 2021 Census, and covered a land a ...

, in the western part of Regional County Municipality (MRC)

Le Domaine-du-Roy Le Domaine-du-Roy ''(The King's Domain)'' is a regional county municipality in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada. Its seat is in Roberval, and it is named for the King of France, who owned the land at the time of the coloniz ...

, in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean administrative region, in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. This lake is located mainly in the canton of Ducharme, except the bay of the South which is located in the canton of Bouterque. This lake is marked the western boundary of the Ashuapmushuan Wildlife Reserve. Forestry is the main economic activity of the sector. Recreational tourism activities come second. The forest road route 167 passes on the east side of Nicabau Lake, connecting Chibougamau to

Saint-Félicien, Quebec Saint-Félicien is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec. The town is located within the Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. Its population as of 2021 is 10,089. Geography The municipality i ...

. The Canadian National Railway runs along route 167. The Nicabau railway stop served the area. The surface of Nicabau Lake is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice movement is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

Geography

Toponymy

Of Innu origin, the toponymic spelling of this body of water has varied often since the days of New France, including: Nekouba, Nekoubau, Nicoupao, Necoubeau, Nikaubau or Nikabau. Nikabau would mean "lake surrounded by hay". In the past, the lake was a crossroad for travelers on major waterways (particularly the Normandin River, particularly those leading from

Tadoussac Tadoussac () is a village in Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saguenay and Saint Lawrence rivers. The indigenous Innu call the place ''Totouskak'' (plural for ''totouswk'' or ''totochak'') meaning "bosom", probably in reference to the tw ...

Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of ...

. Hudson Bay In 1661, the Jesuit fathers Dablon and Druillettes reached the place they identify as Nekouba, describing it as a famous place because of a fair that is held there In the years when all the native people from the area go shopping, a 1661 map showing the missionaries' trip mentions the name of Nekouba, and the names "Nekoubou River" and "Nek8pas Lake" are indicated on 1672 maps respectively. 1680. Guillaume Delisle indicates on his map of 1703: "Necouba (post office)" and "R. de Necoub" The Jesuit Laure will use the gentile "Nekubauists" on his "Map of the Domaine du Roy in Canada" of 1732. The toponym "lac Nicabau" was formalized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec.Quebec Geographic Names Board - Place Names Bank - Toponym: "Lac Nicabau"
/ref>

Geography

Toponymy

Notes and references

See also