Analysis of Joint Flooding in the Estuaries of the St. Lawrence River in a Context of Sea-Level Rise
Speaker(s)
Description
This presentation aims to highlight the key findings of research conducted as part of the INFO-Crue initiative on the statistical analysis of joint flooding at the 26 outlets of the St. Lawrence River in a context of sea-level rise.
This webinar is based on the research project Estimation des surcotes et du rehaussement marin aux exutoires des rivières situées dans le tronçon fluvial et maritime (estuaire et golfe) du Saint-Laurent (project information is available in French only).
Summary
In coastal regions, floods can be caused by the concurrence or interaction of multiple factors, such as rising water levels in the receiving environment and high flows from tributaries. This type of flooding, known as joint flooding, can lead to significant economic and social consequences. Studies on Canada's coasts show that the risk of flooding is 50% higher when considering interactions between flood factors than with the traditional approach based on individual (univariate) flood analysis.
Learning objectives
Comparisons of flood recurrence with and without considering the dependence between flood factors and the implications for flood zone mapping
Identification of areas more at risk of joint flooding due to the concurrence of high river levels and floods from its tributaries
Impact of sea-level rise on flood frequency in the future
Speaker
Mohammad Bizhanimanzar holds a PhD in civil engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. He has over 7 years of experience in developing models to assess the impacts of climate change, particularly the effects of floods on natural and built environments. He was the lead researcher on the project for developing hydrological models to quantify the role of wetlands in mitigating flood risks in the Chaudière River watershed and contributed to improving the SWAT hydrological model for simulating the hydro-ecological behaviour of vernal ponds in the Kenauk Nature Reserve, Outaouais, Quebec. Between 2020 and 2023, he worked at the Ouranos consortium as a hydroclimatology specialist on the project analyzing joint flooding at the outlets of the St. Lawrence River. Currently, Mohammad is working on projects related to climate risks and resilience at CIMA+. In this role, he leverages his expertise to develop climate change adaptation plans, helping to strengthen the resilience of communities and infrastructures against current and future environmental challenges.
