Author(s)

R. Landry, A. A. Assani

Abstract

We analyzed the impacts of the Gouin Reservoir, built on the Saint-Maurice River, in Quebec, on the magnitude and frequency of ecohydrological drought. Magnitude values, calculated as the difference between measured low flow and the ecological compensation flow, have increased significantly over time as a result of decreasing amounts of snow, while frequency has not changed significantly over time. The study suggests that a new mode of dam management is required for the Gouin Reservoir to ensure the preservation of fish habitats downstream from the reservoir, and that mode must take into account the decreasing amount of snow in the watershed.

Keywords

ecohydrological drought, Gouin Reservoir, ecological compensation flows, Lombard method