International Network of Basin Organizations
QUEBEC
THE CHAUDIERE RIVER BASIN COMMITTEE
The Government of Quebec (Ministry for the Environment and Fauna) have contributed to establish a Research Committee on one of the Province major river basins. The aim is not only to lead a water resources management awareness campaign but also to rally all water managers and users to integrated river basin management.
The mandate of the Basin Committee thus formed is to study all the parameters of integrated river basin management, whether they be of a technical, sociological, economic, legal or political nature and as a result, to recommend to the Ministry a standard model adapted to the whole territory of Quebec, in order to judge its relevance by means of some pilot projects among the 24 river basins of the Province.
1. On what scale is this case study carried out ?
The Chaudiere River is a tributary of the Saint-Lawrence. It drains a total area of 6,682 km2 and has four main tributaries. It has been divided into three sections : the Upper-Chaudiere, the Middle-Chaudiere and the Lower-Chaudiere.
Due to the relief, there are recurring flood phenomena on this river.
The Upper-Chaudiere is covered mainly by forestlands. The Middle-Chaudiere is composed of both agricultural lands and forestlands whereas the Lower-Chaudiere is mainly agricultural even though it is the most densely populated and has the strongest demographic increase of the basin, particularly at the river mouth. The total population of the Basin is near to 160,000.
2. Which approaches have been retained (regulatory, financial, consultation, others) ?
The Chaudiere River Basin Committee has been entrusted with a vast, open research mandate, therefore all approaches are possible. It should define which type of organization (agency, state enterprise, consultation commission,...) could be created; which decision-making powers it should be endowed with; how would it function and most important, how would it be financed ? It is fundamental that this proposal be founded on existing issues and on the reality of the situation in the Chaudiere River basin. Nevertheless, the proposal should also take into consideration the whole context of Quebec and should be applicable to all inhabited river basins. In order to substantiate the Committee's approach, the conclusions of the survey should pave the way for one or two genuine pilot projects.
3. What diagnosis can be made of the present organization of river management ?
It is far too early to speak of establishing a formal diagnosis, founded on an exploratory survey of integrated river basin management in Quebec. It should be underlined however, that the approach used for this survey is one of consultation and decentralized decision-making towards the "medium-users" and "medium-managers".
Furthermore, there appears to be a sudden awareness of the three main groups involved in this resource management, namely the municipal sector, the agricultural sector and the industrial sector because they, together with the Basin's inhabitants, will be called to examine the issues and the solutions proposed for their territory.
Jean Maurice Latulippe
Ministry for the Environment and Fauna - Quebec
Fax : (1-418) 644 2003
