Mattagami River

Mattagami River
Rivière Mattagami (in French)
Mattagami River at Smooth Rock Falls
Location of the mouth of the Mattagami River in Ontario
EtymologyOjibwe language
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
RegionNortheastern Ontario
Districts
Physical characteristics
SourceMattagami Lake
  locationGouin Township, Sudbury District
  coordinates48°00′46″N 81°33′28″W / 48.01278°N 81.55778°W / 48.01278; -81.55778
  elevation330 m (1,080 ft)
MouthMoose River
  location
Gardiner Township, Cochrane District
  coordinates
50°43′42″N 81°29′14″W / 50.72833°N 81.48722°W / 50.72833; -81.48722
  elevation
48 m (157 ft)
Length443 km (275 mi)
Basin size37,000 km2 (14,000 sq mi)
Basin features
River systemJames Bay drainage basin

The Mattagami River is a river in Northern Ontario, Canada.

The Mattagami flows 443 kilometres (275 mi) from its source at Mattagami Lake in geographic Gouin Township in the Unorganized North Part of Sudbury District, on the Canadian Shield southwest of Timmins, to Portage Island in geographic Gardiner Township in the Unorganized North Part of Cochrane District, in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Here the Mattagami's confluence with the Missinaibi River forms the Moose River, about 100 kilometres (60 mi) from that river's tidewater outlet at James Bay. The Mattagami River flows through the city of Timmins as well as the town of Smooth Rock Falls and its drainage basin encompasses 37,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi). It is close to tourism sites offering activities such as fishing, canoeing and nature-based relaxation.

The Mattagami's name comes from the Ojibwe and means either "the start of water" (maadaagami) or "turbulent water" (madaagami), but the local Ojibwe population claim "Mattagami" is a corrupted form of "confluence" (maadawaagami). According to the Mattagami First Nation, Mattagami means "Meeting of the Waters".