Located on the Côte-Nord of Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the lake Musquaro covers an area of 207 square kilometers. The lake is 43 km long and 8 km wide. This lake is formed by a major expansion of the river of the same name. The lake Musquaro is the main body of water feeding the Musquaro River. The mouth of the lake which is located in a bay at the south of the lake is about 32.5 km northeast of the village of Kégaska and Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The lake Musquaro is located south of La Pommeraye Lake, west of Lake Marie Claire, and 4 km north of Lake Musquanousse which discharges into the Musquanousse River whose mouth is 8 km to the east the mouth of the Musquaro River. The shape of the lake Musquaro is complex. The lake is dotted with islands and peninsulas of all shapes and sizes. Many of these bays are a longitudinal shape. Located on the Côte-Nord, this lake receives its water from some rivers and lakes including Lake D'Auteuil, west, which seems rather to be an extension.
Toponymy
The term "Musquaro" is a translation adapted from Native American language, meaning "tail of a black bear". Montagnais designate the lake "Mahkuanu Nipi" or "lake of the black bear tail"; and the river "Kapitahkuiat Hipu" or Mahkuanu Hipu river "black bear tail". In his writings, the fatherCharles Arnaud indicates that up the Musquaro River, a mountain having the complete shape of a bear is encountered; and "not even the tail" is missing. Naskapi use the label "Maskuanu Shipis" meanings the little river of the "tail of a black bear". This name appears in the documents of the seventeenth century, using distinctive spellings. On his map of the St. Lawrence River dated 1685, JB L. Franquelin shows "Mascouarou". In the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the spelling of the name of the river are varied, although the pronunciation is similar. Rouillard listed the following spellings: Muskwaro, Mascourao, Maskuaro, Masquaro and Musquaro. In these graphs are added those of Maskouaro and Musquarro The name "Lake Musquaro" was formalized on December 5, 1968, at the Bank of place names in the Geographical Names Board of Canada.
