March 18, 2025: ATL Branch – March Webinar (SWOT & Green Infrastructure)
Presenters: Anne-Marie Laroche, ing. Ph.D. (Université de Moncton) and Margot Allain Belanger, M.A.Sc., MBA, P. Eng. (Université Laval)
Date: March 18, 2025 12PM ADT
Title of Presentation: SWOT & Green Infrastructure
Presentations Descriptions
Speaker: Anne-Marie Laroche, ing., Ph.D.
Anne-Marie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Université de Moncton (New Brunswick). Her research focuses on inland floodplain mapping, climate change, hydrology, and hydraulics. Anne-Marie has a particular interest in GIS for effective water resources management at the watershed scale.Throughout her career, Anne-Marie has supported women in STEM through her involvement with APEGNB, and other mentorship and outreach initiatives (e.g., AFFESTIM, Club Eurêka).
Description:
The SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite mission represents a significant advancement in the global monitoring of water bodies. Using state-of-the-art radar altimetry, it can represent the topographical variations of seas, rivers, and lakes with great accuracy. This joint mission coordinated by NASA, CNES, UK Space Agency, and CSA opens new opportunities for climate research, hydrological modelling, and sustainable water resources management.
In Atlantic Canada, SWOT products have the potential to increase our capacity to monitor water levels of river and coastal areas, improve flood and inundation forecasts, and assess the impacts of climate change. In addition, SWOT data will provide essential information for managing wetlands, preserving aquatic ecosystems, and enhancing the adaptive capacity of coastal infrastructure.
This presentation, part of the NOVA-NSERC project, is the result of collaboration between Université de Sherbrooke, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Centre de géomatique du Québec, and Université de Moncton. It will look at the scientific aspects of the SWOT mission, along with its technical operation and practical implications for hydrological research and water resources management. The focus will be on the use of SWOT data and integration into planning and adaptation tools for climate change in New Brunswick.
Researchers NOVA-NSERC Project:
- Mélanie Trudel, Université de Sherbrooke
- Alain N. Rousseau, INRS Centre Eau Terre Environnement
- Yannick Duguay, Centre de géomatique du Québec
- Anne-Marie Laroche, Université de Moncton
Speaker: Margot Allain Belanger, M.A.Sc., MBA, P. Eng.
Margot Allain Belanger is a doctoral candidate in water engineering at Université Laval and a lecturer at Université de Moncton. Her engineering experience has focused on hydrology, hydraulics, and the design of water and stormwater systems. Her interest in advancing stormwater infrastructure led her to pursue a full-time doctoral program in September 2023. Working under the direction of Geneviève Pelletier (Université Laval) and Sophie Duchesne (INRS), Margot’s research includes analysing costs and benefits to better understand barriers and opportunities for the implementation of green infrastructure for urban stormwater management.
Description:
Green Infrastructure (GI) is being implemented globally as a solution for stormwater management, particularly for reducing runoff at its source and improving water quality during smaller, more frequent rainfall events.
Margot is part of a research team collaborating with seven municipalities across Quebec that have incorporated GI into various construction projects. These initiatives have featured bioretention systems, permeable paving, under-road retention, and stormwater basins. The primary objective of the research is to quantify and optimize the effectiveness of these stormwater management solutions to increase climate change resiliency. This presentation will provide an overview of GI, share results and lessons learned in design, construction, maintenance, and monitoring, and outline the project team’s next challenges for their 2024-2029 research project.
