11th International Joint Commission Biennial Forum

SLV 2000 Workshop – Montreal – October 19, 2001 – 8:30 am to 12:00 pm

The Impacts of Fluctuating Water Levels on the

St. Lawrence River and its Uses

There are many concerns and issues related to fluctuating water levels in the St. Lawrence River. This workshop addresses the policies and programs that governments and others could consider in mitigating the damaging effects on the environment and society. It provides an overview of water levels in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system, with a focus on the St. Lawrence River, and includes a discussion by a panel of experts and a general discussion on the impacts of fluctuating water levels.

The workshop will be divided into three hour-long sections: an overview of water levels in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system, particularly in the St. Lawrence itself; a panel discussion where expert panellists can express their viewpoints on specific aspects of the problem; and a general discussion with workshop participants on water levels, how they fluctuate, the resulting impacts and the action that governments and others in our society should take to mitigate the damaging effects on the environment and society.

Schedule

Presentations (9 am to 10 am)

9:00 am Description of the Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River System ( Brian Morse )

9:15 am Climate Change (Linda Mortsh)

9:30 am The Impact of Water Levels on the Ecosystem ( Christiane Hudon )

9:45 am The Impact of Water Levels on Human Activities ( Jean-François Bibeault )

Panel Discussion (10 am to 11 am)

General Discussion (11 am to 12 pm)

Moderator: Frédéric Loiselle

(Host of Zone X, a television science show on Télé-Québec)

Peter Yeomans (Drinking Water, Pleasure Boating)

Normand Gariépy (Ecotourism, Commercial Fishing – Lake St. Pierre)

Dalton Foster (Upstream Interests)

Michel Slivitsky (Science)

Jean-Luc Bédard (Economic Activities – Port of Montreal)