The 2017 and 2019 floods forced Rigaud and Pointe-Fortune to deploy extraordinary efforts and resources. Despite the effective management of their recovery measures, floods remain a significant challenge for these municipalities due to both their annual recurrence and the increasing impact of climate change. The latest flood events have prompted the two municipalities to implement extensive preparedness and response measures. In that sense, Rigaud and Pointe-Fortune have integrated E-NUNDATION as an operational decision support solution to better manage this risk. The Multimunicipal Civil Security Organization of Rigaud, Pointe-Fortune, and Très-Saint-Rédempteur now hasa complementary solution that allows them to effectively increase the anticipation level and the response capacity during flood events.
The purpose of this article is to share the feedback following the integration of the E-NUNDATION platform in Rigaud and Pointe-Fortune for the 2021 and 2022 flood seasons.
E-NUNDATION: A strategic solution for operational flood management
The needs expressed by the Multimunicipal Civil Security Organization of Rigaud, Pointe-Fortune and Très-Saint-Rédempteur inspired Geosapiens to set up a pilot project in collaboration with Hydro Météo. This project, carried out in the spring of 2021, aimed to implement and use E-NUNDATION in a simulation context. The idea was to use factual data (extracted from the Carillon power plant) from the 2017 floods and create new flood scenarios for the Ottawa River. The success of this project led to the integration of E-NUNDATION for the 2022 spring floods season.
Thanks to its web interface, E-NUNDATION offers a fast, interactive, and real-time visualization of flood zones coupled with hydro-meteorological forecasts provided by Hydro Météo. It also includes detailed information regarding the impacts on the community, the buildings, and the road network. This information is crucial for municipalities to anticipate the risk and ensure an appropriate response and a better coordination between the various municipality stakeholders.
According to Eric Martel, Deputy Director, and Civil Security Coordinator of Rigaud city, E-NUNDATION is a powerful tool that adds value to the measures available in the Multimunicipal Civil Security Organization. The platform is a concrete solution, easy to use, and accurately reflects the interaction between the hazard and the environment. Inevitably, the hydro-meteorological forecasts transposed by E-NUNDATION allow the municipality to response in an optimal way.
Rigaud's civil security coordinator says that some of the decisions and actions taken during 2017 and 2019 spring floods would have been different if the E-NUNDATION platform had already been implemented.
E-NUNDATION: A solution offering the communities of Rigaud and Pointe-Fortune a better response to flooding.
E-NUNDATION main interface showing the territory of Rigaud city.
E-NUNDATION is a decision support tool for operational flood management that helps to optimize the coordination between the different stakeholders and the effectiveness of communications with citizens before, during, and after a flood event. E-NUNDATION allows municipal actors to easily share homogeneous information on the scope of the flood event and the subsequent consequences on people, buildings, and infrastructures. This makes it easier to anticipate and prioritize response measures, which helps to reduce uncertainty for both the authorities and the affected citizens.
In conclusion, we would like to thank City of Rigaud and the Municipality of Pointe-Fortune for their trust and for their collaboration in making E-NUNDATION a user-friendly, efficient, and evolving tool for municipalities.
This feedback allowed municipal coordinators and managers to share useful comments and recommendations that are part of a continuous improvement process to offer a tool that meets the needs of municipal stakeholders.
The Multimunicipal Organization of Rigaud, Pointe-Fortune and Très-Saint-Rédempteur is a model in terms of flood management. Its commitment to ensure the safety of people and their property has contributed to innovative initiatives and the development of cutting-edge solutions. We are pleased that E-NUNDATION has been able to contribute to this pro-active approach and we remain committed to continuing our partnership with these innovative municipalities.