CAPG - Institut national de la recherche scientifique

In the spring of 2017, several municipalities in the Petite-Nation River watershed were affected by exceptional flooding. In the context of climate change, these events are likely to become more frequent (Ouranos, 2015). The INRS is partnering with the OBV RPNS to work with six municipalities in the Petite-Nation River watershed targeted by Decree 777-2017, which was adopted in July 2017. The project is intended to: • Reduce municipalities’ vulnerability to flooding under changing climate conditions by providing an operational flood and stormwater risk management system • Promote collaboration between municipalities• Serve as a prospective tool in the decision-making process Another environmental benefit of this project will be to implement a stormwater and flood risk management system to address current issues as well as serve as a tool for decision-making in preparatory, predictive, and emergency situations. The goals are: In today’s environment: • For stormwater: 1) Assess land-use practices, 2) Diagnose management problems and assess public perception, 3) Create a management plan• Characterize flood risk: hazard mapping, population vulnerability, buildings and infrastructure• Develop a rainfall-runoff model• Ensure municipalities address flood risk in their decision-making process• Encourage sharing of best practices and train stakeholdersIn the context of climate change:• Establish future precipitation quantiles (OURANOS simulations)• Characterize impact on stormwater• Determine future flood quantiles using the rainfall-runoff model• Characterize impact on flood risk• Implement climate change adaptation and mitigation measures through the development of 1) strategic stormwater management plans and 2) flood response and contingency plans