Water levels and flows 2016-2021
Projects
Use satellite data for flood risk management and emergency preparedness
Canadian satellite RADARSAT-2 provides radar images of Canada on a regular basis. In collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Public Safety Canada and the Quebec Ministère de la Sécurité publique (MSP), specialists from the Institut national de la recherche scientifique–Eau-Terre-Environnement (INRS-ETE) created a computer algorithm that transforms these raw data into useful maps that are quickly updated. This allows specialists from the MSP to monitor the ice cover, ice jams and flooding in areas where recurring problems are observed. Thanks to these maps, the MSP can efficiently plan responses on the ground and support municipalities. The department can also monitor the situation directly using the geomatics platform. These products are available to the public via the open data found on the Quebec government website.
During this new phase of the project, our experts aim to improve this technology in collaboration with the CSA and the GRIP project. They will apply data from the Chaudière River basin and the islands in the greater Montreal region to other flood-prone rivers in Quebec, refining the algorithms that allow them to assess the scope of flooding in open water in various geographical environments (urban, wooded, agricultural, etc.). They will also be able to monitor more closely the effects of winter storms on coastal erosion. In addition, they hope to create new tools to monitor other natural disasters such as forest fires. Finally, they would like to share this technology with other provinces and stakeholders in Canada.
Establish a Climate Change Coordination Committee
Climate change affects the St. Lawrence ecosystem as much as its commercial potential. In the previous phase of the SLAP, in collaboration with Ouranos, a consortium on regional climatology and climate change adaptation, the preliminary committee prepared a state of knowledge report on climate change particularly in terms of how it affects the St. Lawrence.
In this new phase of the SLAP, the Climate Change Coordination Committee will be established. It will bring together the various actors involved, from different levels of government and civil society, to promote knowledge sharing and, ultimately, efficient responses in this area. The committee will look at the uses of the Seaway from the perspective of vulnerability to climate change and will promote knowledge sharing among key players.