Lièvre Watershed

The Mont-Laurier region enjoys a humid continental climate. According to climatological normals in Canada, the average annual air temperature in this region is 3.3° C. The lowest temperatures are recorded in January (-20.3° C), while the highest temperatures are posted in July (24.6° C). Snowfall begins in November and continues until April. The average annual precipitation for the region is 1,014.7 mm, 22% of which falls as snow. The Lièvre River watershed is situated in the humid continental climatic zone. The southern portion of the watershed enjoys a mild climate, while the northern portion is colder and damper.

Adapted from "Pour la qualité de l'eau du bassin versant de la Lièvre: PORTRAIT, published by the Comité du bassin versant de la rivière du Lièvre (COBALI), 2005.

Lièvre WatershedThe many lakes and waterways on the watershed territory can, in some sectors, represent a high flood risk. Section 5 of the Act respecting land use planning and development (R.S.Q., c. A-19.1) obliges regional county municipalities (RCMs) to identify flood-prone areas in their land use development plans. Furthermore, floodplains with two-year recurrence intervals are considered fish habitat, and are thus subject to the Regulation respecting wildlife habitats.

Lièvre Watershed

Minimum flow/Drought

The term “minimum flow” refers to the lowest level reached by a body of water or to the flow occurring in a stream during prolonged dry periods or droughts. Dams can help offset the effects of minimum flow by accumulating water during rainy periods and making it available to downstream sections of a river during drier periods. The effects of minimum flow are similar to those of drought: decrease in the water table, water wells becoming dry, and insufficient water volume to allow for adequate dilution of wastewater. A lack of water volume can give rise to many other problematic situations, including bans on drinking tap water and watering lawns, navigation problems, receding water lines that require wharf extensions, expanding beaches, and fish fry that die from exposure to the air.

Lièvre Watershed

The erosion of shorelines is a natural phenomenon, a process of adjustment to the various hydraulic or mechanical constraints of water. Different factors can give rise to and even accentuate this phenomenon: current, tidal range, spring and fall flooding, wave action and ice. In addition, the speed of the erosion process can vary according to the shoreline substratum, the topography and the condition of the riparian buffer strip. However, human-induced erosion can be every bit as destructive. This type of erosion is caused by livestock water use, road construction and repair, wave action due to motorboat traffic, and the destruction of shoreline vegetation. Shoreline erosion is a major concern for those residing along the Lièvre River.

Lièvre WatershedWater storage facilities

The Lièvre River and its tributaries are controlled by more than 65 dams and dikes that are used for hydroelectricity generation, cottaging and recreation, and water retention. These dams help regulate water flow in the river. There are four reservoirs in the watershed, three of which are used to manage water levels (control flow) in the Lièvre River, especially during flood season, in order to limit potential damage.

Get involved in one of the many events taking place in the Lièvre watershed! Find more information about water flow activities happening in the Lièvre watershed.

Learn about what you can do at work, home, and in other areas of your life to conserve water.