INFO-Crue Provincial Flood Modelling Program
Following the spring floods of 2017, the Quebec government launched a province-wide initiative to strengthen flood resilience and improve flood risk management. As part of this effort, the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCC) established the INFO-Crue program in April 2018 to enhance flood mapping and forecasting across southern Quebec. The main objectives of this five-year program include developing advanced tools for floodplain delineation and supporting a real-time forecasting system capable of predicting flood extents several days in advance.
Ministry of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks
Streams & Rivers
Québec
Hydraulic modelling plays a central role in achieving these objectives by improving the understanding of river behaviour and flood risk throughout the province. Lasalle l NHC was retained to carry out hydraulic modelling for river systems spanning 16 watersheds including Rigaud, Du Lièvre, Petite Nation, Du Nord, Gatineau, Richelieu, Bécancour, Du Gouffre, St-Jean (Saguenay), Du Moulin, Petit-Saguenay Ouiatchouan, St-Jean (Bas St-Laurent), Mitis, Renard, and Harricana.
The work involved developing, calibrating, and validating 1D, 2D, or 1D/2D hydraulic models using HEC-RAS software using input data provided by the MELCC (including bathymetric surveys, structure surveys, lidar data, water level measurement campaigns, gauged flows, and extreme flows). Model results were used to verify flood extents and support the province’s ongoing floodplain mapping and risk management initiatives, providing a robust technical foundation for regulatory and planning decisions.
Delivered the hydraulic modelling foundation for one of Québec’s largest flood resilience initiatives, supporting more accurate flood forecasting, improved floodplain mapping, and informed decision-making to help protect communities and infrastructure across the province.
