The Robert-Bourassa Reservoir (French: Réservoir Robert-Bourassa) is a man-made lake in northern Quebec, Canada. It was created in the mid-1970s as part of the James Bay Project and provides the needed water for the Robert-Bourassa and La Grande-2-A generating stations. It has a maximum surface area of 2,835 square kilometres (1,095 sq mi), and a surface elevation between 168 metres (551 ft) and 175 metres (574 ft).[1] The reservoir has an estimated volume of 61.7 cubic kilometres (14.8 cu mi), of which 19.4 cubic kilometres (4.7 cu mi) is available for hydro-electric power generation.[2]
The reservoir is formed behind the Robert-Bourassa Dam that was built across a valley of the La Grande River. This dam was constructed from 1974 to 1978, is 550 m (1,800 ft) wide at its base, and has 23 million m3 (30 million yd3) of fill.[3] There are another 31 smaller dikes keeping the water inside the reservoir.
Robert-Bourassa reservoir near the Robert-Bourassa generating station.
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