The magnitude of the 2017 floods marked a turning point in flood risk management in Québec. In comparison, the exceptional flood of spring 2019 has done even more damage in some areas. Indeed, snowfalls and heavy spring rains this year have participated to these major flooding. In this situation, protecting the victims and limiting the spread of water in inhabited areas is a priority. Some municipalities and the government have therefore called upon Geolocation to provide airborne surveys. The purpose here is the compilation of data for updating the flood hazard maps. The challenge? To realize these mandates within a very short time according to the temperature!
Floods emergency plan
Géolocation is thus really proud to have mobilized in different regions of Quebec to acquire aerial imagery. The area of interest was located along many kilometers of overflowing rivers. These contracts therefore require a quick response during the floods, a real challenge for our teams. From this accurate data, different types of deliverables are provided. For example, we create orthophotographs, mosaics, and plot the high water line in stereoscopy. Also in spring, several rivers in the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges were subjected to LiDAR surveys and gaugings during the flood peak for mapping purposes.
All the information that we collected is finally delivered to the appropriate customers and organisms. So they will use it for a rigorous and thorough analysis, resulting in a better knowledge and management of the territory. The authorities then rely on specific modeling and calculations to propose adapted management measures in crisis. The ultimate challenge remains always the protection of resources and populations, particularly in the event of recurrence of natural disasters.
Custom deliverables
Thanks to a long-standing experience Géolocation provides to its clients state-of-the art equipment and high qualified resources. We can perform the surveys in the most extreme situations and within a very short times for a fast delivery of processed data: production of orthophotographs, digital terrain/surface models, thematic maps, etc. For example, digital terrain models help to produce, among other things, flood hazard maps. Geolocation prepares for its customers bespoke digital data with spatial reference which is used for the forecasting, the analysis and the different necessary reports for the management of the impacts in natural disasters. A wide range of high quality and accurate products are possible and available, ensuring a reliable and relevant analysis!
Note that it’is not the first mobilization in emergency for Géolocation. We were already in the field during the Saguenay floods in 1996 and in Lac-Mégantic after the 2013 oil spill.
Interested in this product ? Feel free to contact us and our team of professionals to have more information by calling the 418-688-3308 or visiting our website geolocation.ca.