Richard Turcotte studied civil engineering at Université Laval, including Master’s studies specializing in hydrodynamic modelling. He worked for the INRS from 1994 to 2000 on developing and applying hydrological modelling in integrated watershed management, before joining the Quebec Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP). He is now head of the Hydrometeorology Division at the Centre d’expertise hydrique du Québec, a MDDEP agency, where he is responsible for all activities relating to hydrological modelling, from operational forecasts to be used in day-to-day decisions in dam management to producing far-reaching studies on climate change, water withdrawal management and dams. Since January 2008, Mr. Turcotte has co-ordinated the Water Resources activities of the Impacts and Adaptation group.