24 June 2017

The Université de Sherbrooke has launched an Industrial Research Chair on valorization of Earth observations for water resources. The Chairholder, Professor Robert Leconte, will be supported by a team of a dozen civil engineering students. The main objective is to improve hydrological forecasting, which provides critically important data concerning climatic changes, using satellite imagery.

The Université de Sherbrooke related Mr. Leconte’s remarks: “This information will help us to develop tools to improve flow forecasting in rivers. If we have a better understanding of what’s going on in the watershed, whether it’s saturated with water or it’s very dry, it gives us the information we need to know what will happen in streams.”

The team will work in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Hydro-Québec, Brookfield Renewable, and the City of Sherbrooke for this research chair, which requires a total investment of $2.1 million, spread over five years.

Bruno Benedetti from Énergie Brookfield and Jocelyn Gaudet from Hydro-Québec, the Chairholder Robert Leconte, Vice-rector to the research and superior studies of Université de Sherbrooke Jean-Pierre Perreault and dean of the Faculté de génie Patrik Doucet

The research chair could prove useful to Sherbrooke residents: “It will ultimately lead to better forecasting of flows to come,” says the chairholder. “This way, we can better protect the population against what is coming.  For example, if the flowrate of the St. François River increases, we can take protective actions. It could also increase our understanding of watersheds and control flooding.” Hydrological forecasting is also necessary for the management of dams, and is therefore precious data for Hydro-Québec.

Source:  Université de Sherbrooke
Photo credits: Michel Caron, Université de Sherbrooke