Water Master Plan
A key reference on the condition of a region's water resources
The Water Master Plan (WMP) is a planning tool designed to structure the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) process at watershed level. The plan facilitates decision-making in close collaboration with stakeholders within the integrated water management zone of the watershed organization.
The Water Master Plan is revised periodically, at least every ten years, in accordance with an obligation set out in the Law affirming the collective nature of water resources and aiming to protect them. Once revised, the WMP is submitted to the Quebec government for approval.
What is the role of the WMP?
What is the role of the WMP? The role of the WMP is to develop a long-term approach to managing water at the watershed level, to steer actions towards a shared vision of water management in the region, and to learn how to work collaboratively at the watershed level.
Its purpose? Targeting the efforts to be made collectively to preserve water resources in the watershed, because one use of the water can have repercussions on another level.
The integrated water management zone of the SCABRIC OBV is made up of the watersheds of the following main watercourses: Rivière Châteauguay, Rivière aux Saumons, Rivière de la Tortue, Rivière La Guerre, Rivière Saint-Jacques, Rivière Saint-Louis, Rivière Suzanne, Ruisseau Fraser, Ruisseau McMillan.
Our Water Master Plan
Working together towards:
- Healthy ecosystems and waterside throughout the Châteauguay Zone.
- Guaranteed access to quality drinking water, in sufficient quantity and at a reasonable treatment cost, throughout the Châteauguay Zone.
- Maintaining or returning access to swimming in the Châteauguay Zone.
- Improving flow management between the La Guerre and Saint-Louis rivers to avoid problems associated with siltation in Lake Saint-François.
- Transparent enforcement of water regulations throughout the Châteauguay Zone.
Vision of water resources and uses for the Integrated Watershed Management zone
Working together towards:
- Healthy ecosystems and riparian buffer strips along waterways throughout the Châteauguay Zone;
- Guaranteed access to quality drinking water, in sufficient quantity and at a reasonable treatment cost, throughout the Châteauguay Zone;
- Maintaining or returning swimming access to the Châteauguay Zone;
- Improved flow management between the La Guerre and Saint-Louis rivers, to avoid problems associated with siltation in Lake Saint-François;
- Transparent enforcement of water regulations throughout the Châteauguay Zone.
The presentation of the area’s Water Master Plan (to be published soon) contains:
- Integrated watershed management principles;
- An overview of the Integrated Watershed Management zone;
- Strategic planning of water resources (vision, prioritized problem types, orientations, objectives).
Many additional documents are supplied with the WMP, providing further information to help you better understand the process. Among these documents are the diagnostic sheets. These are designed to establish a diagnosis of the categories of problems affecting water resources on the territory, in order to better determine the orientations to be prioritized, the objectives to be achieved and the actions to be undertaken accordingly (MELCCFP).
Châteauguay zone diagnosis (prioritized problems)
The key issues targeted are as follows:
- Destruction and/or degradation of wetland and water quality;
- Poor water quality;
- Shoreline erosion/coastal erosion;
- Over-consumption of water resources;
- Limitation of public access to water bodies and/or watercourses.
Action plan
Initiatives represent the commitments of water stakeholders in the region, with a view to achieving the objectives set during the regional planning phase. They must be adapted to the resources and skills available (stakeholders’ capacity to intervene) and evolve over time to guarantee the flexibility required to achieve the objectives of the Water Master Plan. This action plan, drawn up in collaboration with all the water stakeholders in the ZGIEBV, will be implemented by each in his or her area of competence and responsibility, in agreement with the priorities established by the representatives. Entry of an action in this plan will attest to the promoters’ prior commitment to carrying it out within the set deadlines.
Overview of the region
This overview describes the characteristics of watersheds that can impact water management, and locating the watershed within its physical, economic and social environment. This document combines scientific data, historical information and local knowledge derived from the observations of the people and organizations consulted during the process.
The Châteauguay Zone portrait presents, in a structured format, the best available data on water and the territory at the time of writing, in 2014-2015. The collaboration of all groups possessing the data required for the portrait is vital for a watershed organization in order to produce a representative portrait of the territory, as well as to keep it up to date. Don’t hesitate to contact our WMP manager to share your knowledge!
Assessment
The assessment is the foundation of the Water Master Plan, establishing links between the various elements presented in the overview to document the territory’s major water issues and determine which watersheds are affected. It contextualizes the information in the overview and describes the findings resulting from the relationships established between the elements presented in the overview.
The Châteauguay Zone assessment highlights the 10 issues identified by the many participants in the public consultations and meetings of the Water Master Plan’s technical committee:
- Degradation of surface water caused by agricultural pollution;
- Erosion;
- Surface water degradation caused by urban pollution;
- Poor wastewater management;
- Biodiversity decline;
- Flooding;
- Restricted public access to watercourses;
- Vulnerability of groundwater to contamination;
- Groundwater availability;
- Flow management between the La Guerre and Saint-Louis rivers.
Châteauguay zone diagnosis (prioritized problems)
These issues have been given priority by water stakeholders in 2019. The priority issues that have been targeted are as follows:
- Poor surface and groundwater quality;
- Groundwater and surface water supply problems;
- Bank erosion, siltation, sedimentation and/or filling;
- Destruction and/or degradation of wetland quality, degradation or loss of wildlife habitat (other than wetlands) and presence of an invasive exotic species;
- Flooding of sensitive areas.
Action plan
The action plan describes the measures to be taken by the various water stakeholders to improve the situation concerning each of the issues described in the assessment. The foundations of the action plan derive directly from the findings of the diagnosis.
The Châteauguay Zone action plan describes 34 objectives and impact indicators for each of the issues identified in the assessment. These issues are also associated with actions that water stakeholders have agreed to carry out. Performance indicators, a timetable and an order of magnitude of estimated costs are also associated with each of the 98 actions.
This WMP was approved by the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques on January 25, 2016.
The 2011-2015 WMP focused on ensuring access to sufficient quantities of quality drinking water, restoring swimming in the Châteauguay River and maintaining biodiversity in the Châteauguay River watershed.
This WMP is composed of three elements:
- Châteauguay River watershed overview;
- Châteauguay River watershed assessment based on the elements presented in the portrait and consultations;
- Châteauguay River watershed action plan to guide the resolution of the issues identified in the diagnosis and to achieve, in the long term, the wishes expressed by the population in relation to the Châteauguay River and the territory of its watershed.
In November 2012, the SCABRIC OBV received certification from the MDDELCC confirming government approval of the first Water Master Plan (WMP), and was required to draw up a Water Master Plan for the entire Châteauguay Zone, integrating the 7 new watersheds added to its territory during the 2009 rezoning of the Châteauguay River, thus creating the Châteauguay Zone territory.
Summary posters
For people not inclined to read the documents, in 2012 the OBV SCABRIC developed summary posters that make the content of the Châteauguay Zone water master plan accessible. The posters use maps, photos and short texts to visually summarize the assessment and overview of the principal concerns.
Wetland and water conservation objectives (OCMHH)
Wetlands (ponds, marshes, swamps, peatlands) and waterbodies abound in the Châteauguay area. These valuable natural environments help to fight climate change, supply fresh water and maintain wildlife habitats. For all these reasons and more, these environments must be protected and conserved.
The 2017 adoption of the Loi concernant la conservation des milieux humides et hydriques (LCMHH) (2017, c. 14) amends the Loi affirmant le caractère collectif des ressources en eau et favorisant une meilleure gouvernance de l’eau et des milieux associés (Water Act), which set out the initial mandate of watershed organizations (OBVs) with regard to wetland and water conservation. OBVs are now required to formulate and include wetland and water conservation objectives (OCMHH) in their WMP. These must be drawn up in consultation with local stakeholders.
OBV SCABRIC has initiated the consultation of its members starting in 2019 to coordinate the municipal (MRC) drafting of regional wetland and water environment plans (PRMHH) and OCMHH. The OBV SCABRIC has initiated the consultation of its members as of 2019 to coordinate the municipal drafting of the PRMHH and the OCMHH.
*The MELCC approved the SCABRIC VMOs in May 2022.
Milestones achieved
For more information!
If you have any questions about the Châteauguay Zone Water Master Plan, contact us at 450 427-0911 or by e-mail at info@scabric.ca. We’ll be delighted to answer any questions you may have.
