QClim’Eau
The QClim’Eau initiative is the fruit of a long-standing collaboration between the ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) and the Ouranos Consortium to leverage cutting-edge scientific expertise on hydroclimatology issues and to coordinate advances in the field.
Project details
Principal(s) investigator(s)
A better understanding of water issues in Quebec
Most regions of Quebec face issues related to the water cycle, both in terms of flooding and water availability. These issues are manifested to varying degrees and arise from the management of both the land and the resource, as well as environmental conditions—in particular, climate change.
As the bearer of legislative responsibilities in this area, the Government of Québec is working and providing strategic guidance to manage these issues over the long term. Given the complexity and multidimensional nature of these challenges, it is important to base the approaches and actions on solid scientific foundations and to develop knowledge in a structured manner.
The QClim’Eau initiative is the fruit of a long-standing collaboration between the ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) and the Ouranos Consortium to leverage cutting-edge scientific expertise on hydroclimatology issues and to coordinate advances in the field.
Objectives
Ouranos will support the MELCCFP in taking climate change into consideration in regulatory mandates related to the determination of flood zones and watercourse migration, as well as in the analysis of requests for authorization for water withdrawals, while pursuing two main objectives:
To quantify the impact of climate change on surface water and groundwater availability, water demand, flooding and watercourse migration
To support all water stakeholders in learning about this issue to encourage the adaptation of water and land management practices to the new realities of water resources in the context of climate change
These objectives are divided into five themes:
Hydroclimatic changes over time
Develop knowledge on hydroclimatic variables influencing water resource availability and needs, flooding and watercourse migration, and on the ways in which these variables will be affected by climate change.
Support for the Hydroclimatic Atlas of Southern Quebec
Contribute to making the atlas a go-to resource for climate change adaptation, capable of integrating new scientific knowledge in an iterative manner, including new variables.
Water needs in a changing climate
Understand the factors influencing water needs (both anthropogenic and environmental) to enable the assessment of the quantities of water that will be available in the future for water withdrawals.
The influence of the climate on flooding and watercourse migration
Promote a better understanding of the meteorological and climatic factors that influence physical processes like river ice conditions and riverbank stability.
Application of the knowledge produced to support adaptation
Explore the most effective strategies for moving from knowledge development to its use by water stakeholders, with a view to increasing resilience and improving climate change adaptation.
Research projects
Guiding principles
Consistency with the overall and specific objectives
Applied research aimed at concrete, operational results
Leveraging of existing knowledge and work
Alignment with other initiatives in development
Co-construction and close collaboration with partners
A multidisciplinary approach, where applicable
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Contact
For any questions regarding this initiative, contact: qclimeau@ouranos.ca
Partner
With the financial support of the gouvernement du Québec
