Maxime Boivin - MSHE Besançon Conference - ‘Contributions of geographers to river management in Quebec: the role of hydrogeomorphology’

Human interventions such as log driving, rock filling and river straightening have altered many watercourses in Quebec, thereby reducing the resilience of river ecosystems and increasing the risk of hydrological hazards. Over the past 20 years, Quebec has developed and implemented a more integrated approach to watercourse management, based in particular on hydrogeomorphology (HGM), to better take natural river processes into account.

HGM studies river dynamics through the interactions between flows, sedimentary processes, and river forms. HGM provides a framework for analysis and tools to better integrate knowledge of these forms and processes into river management, restoration and development, and the assessment and analysis of risks related to river hazards. Over the past two decades, hydrogeomorphology has emerged as a significant contributor to risk management and assessment approaches in Quebec, largely thanks to the efforts of geographers. It is at the heart of a paradigm shift in river management, where the restoration of processes aims to increase the resilience of systems and societies, as well as improving the quality of river environments. This presentation will outline the development of hydrogeomorphology in Quebec and discuss the challenges and benefits of incorporating this discipline's knowledge and tools into river management.

Maxime Boivin is currently a 2025-2026 Fellow at the Collegium de Lyon. A professor and researcher specialising in geography and hydrogeomorphology, he has led a research team focusing on the geomorphology and dynamics of gravel rivers at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (Quebec, Canada) since 2017.

ThéMA laboratory website