The route 113 linking Lebel-sur-Quévillon and Chibougamau passes through the valley of the "Little Waswanipi River".

The surface of the "Little Waswanipi River" is usually frozen from early November to mid-May, however, safe ice movement is generally from mid-November to mid-April.

The head zone of the "Little Waswanipi River" is located at 11.1 kilometres (6.9 mi) south of the Waswanipi River, at 9.0 kilometres (5.6 mi) at west of Opawica Lake, at 7.4 kilometres (4.6 mi) north of Bachelor Lake, 5.3 kilometres (3.3 mi) north of route 113, at 8.4 kilometres (5.2 mi) north of Bachelor Lake Village and north of the Bachelor River flowing into Lake Waswanipi.

The "Little Waswanipi River" collects several brooks and flows north-west on 19.9 kilometres (12.4 mi) by cutting the route 113 which connects the villages of Desmaraisville, Quebec and Waswanipi.

The toponym Petite rivière Waswanipi was formalized on November 1, 1988 in Commission de toponymie du Québec.