Hydro-Quebec hopes for no major flooding this spring

Hydro-Quebec says it is hoping to curb flooding in the province this spring — assuming there are no heavy downpours in April or May.

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Officials at the Carillon hydro-electric dam say snow accumulation along the Outaouais River basin is lower than in the previous two years.

The dam, located in the municipality of Saint-André-d’Argenteuil near the Ontario border, is a generating station designed to produce electricity.

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The reservoir is not large enough to stop flood waters from flowing downstream into the Lac des Deux Montagnes.

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Officials told reporters Thursday morning that during the intense flooding that ravaged much of the province last spring, they were able to hold back water for only 30 to 60 minutes at a time.

They pointed to documents showing the water flow rate through the dam last spring peaked at almost 9,000 cubic meters per second — the equivalent of emptying more than three Olympic-sized pools per second.

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Normal flow rate is around 4,000 cubic meters.

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Officials told Global News there is no room to build a larger reservoir at the Carillon dam — or at any of the 13 dams along the river that stretches 1,600 km.

If they had closed all the gates at the Carillon dam last year, officials say the water would have poured over the dam and flooded the neighbouring area.

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Officials insist the best way to stop flooding is for residents and municipalities to work together in taking preventive measures.

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