Documentation of historic floods to obtain quantitative data for hydrological and hydraulic flood modelling

Project details

Scientific program

2014-2019 programming

Theme(s) and priority(s)

Water Management

Start and duration

May 2019 • October 2019

Project Status

Completed

Principal(s) investigator(s)

Gabriel Rondeau-Genesse

Ouranos

Context

In order to map the flood zones of all the watersheds of southern Quebec for forecasting as well as land use planning purposes, the availability of flood data is essential in order to calibrate hydrological and hydraulic models. Future floods will provide data that can be collected from a huge area. However, a search for quantitative data in the various historical archives of interest, as well as in other partners’ records, would provide complete and/or improved information.

The historical data is currently highly fragmented and held by a variety of partners and stakeholders, while databases on historical floods primarily provide qualitative information on the events. The search for quantitative historical data therefore requires significant effort in order to determine the sources of the data and validate its relevance.

This project is part of the INFO-Crue initiative set up by the MELCCFP.

Learn more

Objective(s)

Collect quantitative information on the floods over the last ten years in Quebec, with an emphasis on the most recent floods. This quantitative data consists of data on flows, water levels, areas flooded and/or speeds. Additional data may be acquired, such as weather conditions or the cause of the flood, but is not considered a priority.
Identify organizations doing similar research and coordinate our efforts.