International Lake Champlain – Richelieu River Study Board

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Lake Champlain-Richelieu River Study

November 2018 Public Meetings

Jean-Francois Cantin (Canadian Chair) Keith Robinson (US Chair)

1 2019-02-15 Presentation Outline

• What has happened in the past year.

• Study’s approach to flood mitigation.

• The solutions that are being examined.

• The study’s approach to evaluating solutions.

• Path forward.

2 2019-02-15

What did we learn from last year’s public meetings?

• Need action and solutions.

• Share your progress and results early and often; have products.

• Be thorough in exploring potential solutions.

• Look at the implications for each of the solutions.

• Facilitate stakeholder’s participation in the study. We heard you; let us now show you what we’ve done.

3 2019-02-15 What is the study’s focus?

1. Causes and impacts of past floods.

2. Floodplain best management practices.

3. Flood adaptation strategies.

4. A binational flood forecasting system.

5. Potential flood management and mitigation measures

6. Social and political perception to measures.

4 2019-02-15 What the Study Can and Can not Do

• The Study Board is limited to making recommendations to the IJC on the findings of the Study. • Any implementation of the recommendations will be up to the Federal, Provincial and State governments. • The solutions developed will involve multiple levels of governance, in two countries and the study will foster common understanding • The study is not to look at major structural solutions (dams) • The study needs to stay focused on the terms of the reference provided to IJC

5 2019-02-15 2011 flood compared to recent high levels

1 May 6, 2011

2 3 4 6 5 Flood Stage

6 2019-02-15 Water levels are rising in the Lake and River

Average Annual Lake Champlain Water Levels with Significant Shift around 1970 (metres) (feet) Annual Water Levels (m) Temporal Average 1925-1970 Temporal Average 1971-2017 Linear (Annual Water Levels (m))

• Risen by 39 29.7 cm (15 in.) 97.44 since 1925. 29.26 m

NAVD88 96.00 ft

Levels Water 29.3 96.13 • Significant 29.0 m increase 95.1 ft

since the 28.9 94.82 1970s.

28.5 93.50

Years Goal 1: Reduce High Water Levels and Thereby Flooding Impacts (Moderate Structural Solutions) How does the study address the flooding issue? Theme 1: Theme 2: reduce water impede levels flows

• Examining a broad range

of solutions. Theme 4: Theme 3: floodplain flood • To effectively address management response flooding will require implementing a combination of solutions.

Goal 2: Reduce Vulnerability to High Water and Build Flood Resiliency 8 2019-02-15 (Non-Structural Solutions) What are the structural solutions the study is focussing on?

Theme 1: Theme 2: Reduce water levels in the Store or impede the flow of Richelieu River water in contributing watersheds • Removing instream • Applying nature-based obstructions. solutions. • Installing a moderate structure. • Reconnecting of floodplains • Modifying the Chambly Canal. • Temporary flooding of land.

9 2019-02-15 What is the study looking at beyond structural solutions?

Theme 3: Theme 4: Better flood response plans Better floodplain management (emergency preparedness) (adaptation to flooding)

• Flood forecasting. • Flood damage curves and flood • Flood proofing. delineations. • Protecting the vulnerable. • Establish buffer zones. • Best Management Practices.

10 2019-02-15 What are the structural solutions the study is examining?

The Study is evaluating over a dozen different alternatives grouped as: • Current conditions and the natural state (no canal, no in-river features); • Instream modifications of existing features; • Chambly Canal modifications and diversions; • Channel dredging with and without inflatable bladder; and, • Instream features with upland storage

11 2019-02-15 Why the focus on the St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu Shoal?

• Controls the flow of the Richelieu River.

• Numerous obstructions to the flow.

• Removal would increase flow and lower water levels.

12 2019-02-15 What is the Chambly Canal issue?

• Widened in early 1970s. • Increases water levels upstream (10 cm or 4 in) at high flows. • Examine moving more water through the canal.

13 2019-02-15 What if we undo the past by removing these obsolete structures?

ImpactImpactImpact of No ofof EelNo Eel Traps,Eel Traps, Traps, No No Submerged NoSubmerged Submerged Dykes Dykes Dykes

on Lakeonon Lake Champlain Champlain Champlain Water Water Water Levels Levels Levels

30.029.231.5 103.395.898.4 CurrentCurrentCurrent ConditionsConditions Conditions NoNo Channel,Channel,No Channel, NoNo TrapTrapNo Trap Minimum Quarter-monthly Water Levels 2011 29.031.0 Maximum Quarter-monthly Water Levels 101.795.1 29.6 2011-5 cm 97.1 (-2 in)

NAVD88 NAVD88 -6cm

28.830.5 (-2.5 in) 100.194.5 29.2 Levels, Water 95.8 (metres) (feet)(feet) (metres) (feet) (metres28.630.0)

Water Levels, NAVD88 Levels, Water 98.493.8 28.8 94.5 28.429.5 Water Levels, NAVD88 NAVD88 Levels, Water 96.893.2 28.4 1965 93.2 28.229.0 -81964 cm 95.192.5 -8 cm 28.0 1964(-3 in) 91.9 (-3 in) 28.028.5 93.591.9 19241924 19441944 19641964 19841984 20042004 QuarterYearsYear-monthly 14 2019-02-15 What if we undo the past by removing these obsolete structures? ImpactImpactImpact ofof of NoNo No EelEel Eel TrappingTrapping Trapping Feature,Feature, No NoNo Submerged SubmergedSubmerged Dykes DykesDykes onon on RichelieuRichelieu Richelieu RiverRiver River WaterWater Water LevelsLevels at atat Saint SaintSaint-Jean--JeanJean-Sur--SurSur-Richelieu--RichelieuRichelieu 30.5 28.8 94.5100.1

30.0 Current Conditions No Channel, No Trap 98.4

Current Conditions No Channel, No Trap MinimumCurrent Quarter Conditions-monthly NoWater Channel, Levels No Traps Maximum Quarter-monthly Water Levels 20112011 29.6 -8- 8cm cm 97.1 28.630.0 93.898.4

NAVD88 NAVD88 (-3 in)

(-3 in)

(metres) Levels, Water (metres)29.2 95.8(feet)(feet) (metres) (feet)

28.429.5 93.296.8

28.8 94.5 Water Levels, NAVD88 Levels, NAVD88 Water

28.229.0 95.1

28.4 1964 92.593.2 NAVD88 NAVD88 1964-10 cm Water Levels, Water -10(1964-4 cmin) 28.0 (-4 in) 91.9 28.028.5 93.591.9 1925 1948 1971 1994 2017 QuarterYearsYears-monthly 15 2019-02-15 What can be achieved through a moderate structure?

•Install a moderate structure, such as an inflatable bladder or weir.

•Would reduce peaks and mitigate low levels.

16 2019-02-15 Role of water storage in tributaries

• Storing water in wetlands/flood plains/other lands could be important mitigation activity

Photo Credit –VT-DEC • Preliminary analysis finds Lake tributaries storage had minimal impact

17 on lake levels

• Need more definitive evaluation – plans to do so over the next year Berm removal on Otter Creek2019 -02-15

What do we expect to achieve with this Binational Flood Forecasting System?

• A binational flood forecasting system that is more accurate, timely and responsive to community needs for information.

• Linked to community emergency responders.

• Focus on providing information on the extent and depth of water, not just water level.

18 2019-02-15 What will we get from this Forecasting System ?

Actual/observed floodline

2019-02-15 Forecasted floodline 19 How does the Study plan to evaluate proposed mitigation solutions?

• The Study will evaluate proposed solutions using a suite of agreed upon social, economic and environmental performance indicators (PIs)

Built environment Agricultural Recreational Boating Environment Damage to properties Yield loss Access to marinas, Northern Pike (and others) Stage-damage curves Cropland loss beaches and camping Area of spawning habitat

2019-02-15 20 How does the Study plan to evaluate proposed solutions?

• A Collaborative Decision Support Tool is being developed

• The best available science will be used to evaluate the impacts.

• The Study will: • be open and transparent with its data and information, • share the principles, and criteria that will guide their decisions.

21 2019-02-15 What are major goals of the study over the next year?

• Report on causes and impacts of floods. • Evaluate additional solutions to flood control/mitigation. • Begin how possible solutions effect important performance indicators. • Complete initial lake and River levels forecasting system • Determine the public, community and stakeholder desirability of potential solutions.

22 2019-02-15 You have an important role in this Study!!

This effort will only be successful if we work together Thank you, and we towards common look forward to hearing goals in both the US your views over the and Canada. course of the meeting.

23 2019-02-15 Lake Champlain-Richelieu River Study Public Meeting: Instructions

Madeleine Papineau (Canadian Chair, Public Advisory Group) Kris Stepenuck (US Chair, Public Advisory Group)

24 2019-02-15