Wanapitei River

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The Wanapitei River is a river in central Ontario.

The river's source is a small lake 20 kilometres east of Halfway Lake Provincial Park in the Sudbury District. From there, it flows north and east, taking in two small tributaries and continuing to a point 20 kilometres southwest of the Ishpatina Ridge, where it turns south. After approximately 60 kilometres, the river flows into Lake Wanapitei in the northeastern portion of Greater Sudbury. At the south end of the lake, the river continues, flowing south until it joins the French River near its mouth on Georgian Bay. The river is approximately 120 km in length.

Ontario Power Generation operates a number of hydroelectric plants along the river.

The river's name comes from the Ojibwa word waanabidebiing, or "concave-tooth [shaped] water", which describes the shape of Lake Wanapitei. A community which takes its name from the river is spelled Wahnapitae. However, the Wanapitei spelling is correct for both the lake and the river.