Brisay
Brisay is a special spot on the Trans-Taiga. There’s a generating station, a few lookout points, a few roads branch off…there’s even a hydro Quebec settlement(not open to the public).
One of the reason’s Brisay is important is that for some people it’s the end of the road. The last ~90 km beyond Brisay are rough. So much so that it’s recommended that you have a 4×4 to continue. It’s the last spot on the Trans-Taiga that is somewhat touristy. There are a couple of Belvederes(viewpoints) with explanatory signs.
The most interesting thing about Brisay is just what it is. Brisay is the power generation station at the edge of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. Canipapiscau is the top of the watershed. From here, all water flows down. Here’s the thing: the water from this point used to flow north. With the creation of the reservoir, the water was diverted through the generation station to flow west and join the La Grande River through the La Forge River.
This picture is looking west from the generation station. If you look closely, you can see the remains of a road that must have been used in the creation of this river…that’s right, water didn’t used to flow here at all. It’s been diverted completely.
Without Caniapiscau, these dams wouldn’t work as well. Apparently the need for reservoirs is in the winter, when water/snow sticks to the land and doesn’t make it to the rivers. This diversion gives the dams what they need to go on when the going gets tough. Their own personal river of life.
Isn’t it the same with us? On our own we can only go so far…and not far enough. We need the water of life, but it naturally flows the opposite way. And we certainly can’t divert the water. We need a crazy construction project to change the flow. God did this for us by sending His Son, Jesus to pay our debt of sin, so that we could be reconciled with Him and have the water of life…to keep us even in the hardest of trials. Just like the James Bay complex is upheld by the work of the Brisay station.
The Narrow Twisty Road 