Soper (river)

The river originates on the plateau of the Terra Incognita Peninsula. It flows southward and flows into the brackish lake Soper, and then into the Pleasant Bay of the Hudson Strait near the village of Kimmirut (former Lake Harbor). Kimmirut is the closest settlement to Iqaluit (the old name is Frobisher Bay), the administrative center of the territory of Nunavut. The length of the Soper River is 108 km; the basin area is 2500 km². Navigable for 50 km. The largest tributaries are Livingston (86 km) and Joy (54 km) ^[2] .

The intense metamorphism that occurred 1740 million years ago and the extensive compression of the mainland rock (mostly granite) created a very interesting geological picture in the Soper River basin. Intrusions of crystalline limestones , schists, and quartzites make this picture even more interesting. In the river basin is a small deposit of lapis lazuli (blue gemstone), one of several known in the world. Mica deposits are found in many places.

The river valley protects from harsh winds, thanks to this a special microclimate has formed in the valley. In contrast to the hills, only in places covered with mosses and lichens , in the valley sphagnum moss grows, several types of sedge , mountain yellow saxifrage and many arctic wild flowers, as well as a unique forest of arctic willows that grow up to 3.6 meters high.

Of the mammals , caribou , foxes , wolves , and hares are found . Lemmings provide an important food source for a wide range of predators, especially hawks , falcons, and gyrfalcons . There are also horned larks , partridges , plovers . Seabirds are represented by loons , guillemots, and terns . Arctic char is found in the river, and cod in the waters of Lake Soper.

In the Inuktitut language, the river is called Kuujuaq , or “the big river,” the river got its official name in honor of D. Dewey Sopera, an Arctic explorer, zoologist, bird watcher and writer. In 1992, the Soper River, along with its tributaries Levingston and Joy, was included in Canada's List of Protected Rivers ^[3] .