Société d'aménagement de la Rivière Madawaska
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PROJECTS
It’s possible to discover our projects on the way for this year. A short description follows each one. Bellow the list of projects achieved or past activities by the SARM can be found.
Improvement of the connectivity and the quality of watershed of the
Madawaska River
The follow up of the sedimentation for the river basin of the Madawaska river has known its pilot year of 2016 and its results leaded us on a good path. Eforts for stabilizing and revitalizing the eroded banks is ongoing, that way there can be a reduction of sediments and preserve the ecosystem. Monitoring of the water quality is done at the same time. The results of these analyses are available here :
Water quality of the Madawaska river
In a collective cleanup operation of the watershed, the banks are cleaned from garbage and other important sources of pollution are eliminated or diminished so the water quality can be improved. The community is involved in the cleanup operations so awareness can be increased towards the importance of having healthy banks and protecting the environment. This year, the SARM is aiming to remove floating wood from the river.
A thermal monitoring project with a drone on a 21 kilometer stretch of the river will be done by a local enterprise.
Voluntary conservation agreements will be signed with the owners of the lands bordering the Madawaska River. The protection of the banks is very important because it protects the biodiversity and improves the water quality. The collaboration of the owners is an asset in the success of this project. Plants given by the SARM will be planted by the residents.
Project on responsible energy
and water use
The overconsumption of energy and drinkable water is a real problem which is resulting in the deterioration of natural environments, the lowering of the water table and the amplification of the production of greenhouse gas. The SARM wishes to put together a project which aims to upgrade, preserve and increase the public’s awareness regarding the use of energy and water. The initiative has two main components. The first component is an environmental challenge targeting schools in the Madawaska County, the second component is to inform the public. The main objective is to stimulate and directly involve the students, their families and the community so they can apply ecofriendly actions for the environment all the while encouraging a responsible consumption.
Conjointly to the project, rainwater collection barrels will be installed at schools and community gardens to sustain the need in water during the summertime outside work. This will diminish the drinkable water demand and the demands on the water treatment systems.
For more imformation : Relève le Défi!
Reestablishment of species in danger in North-West New-Brunswick
Many steps are taken so the fauna or the flora can be valued in New Brunswick. Each year, efforts are made to protect populations of the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta). Inventories and identification of the zones to protect after the characterization of the habitat potential are done each year. In the spring of 2017, the banks of the St John River were inspected as soon as the snow melted. Informative and good practices guides will be distributed. Agreements of voluntary conservation will be offered to the owners of favorable lands for the turtle. These efforts will help protect these individuals and favors their re-establishment because of the diminished threats, conservation and creation of suitable habitats.
If you want to signal the observation of an endangered species in the area, simply send us an email or call us.
Follow up of the tree-dwellers ducks
The degradation and habitat loss are considered as one of the principal threats on migrating birds. The Wood duck, the common goldeneye and the hooded merganser are species that are under a lot of stress. Most river banks are occupied by anthropogenic activities. The hollow trees they need for nesting are often destroyed, and the quality of the habitat and water are deteriorating. The birth rates of the ducklings and success rates of flight are alarming. To help protect these species and improve their habitat, a follow up on the occupation of the 17 nest boxes is performed every year. We also replace the defective nest boxes. In 2017, the SARM aims to install 5 new nest boxes in the area.
The community is also informed on the protection of the ducks and their habitat.
Follow up on the invasive species
The follow up and the spread prevention of invasive species in the Madawaska region is crucial to preserve the integrity and biodiversity of the natural environment. During every field trip the SARM team inspects the area to make sure there are no exotic or invasive species. Identification guides are put together by the biologist and the technician to facilitate the work and to help keep citizens informed on this subject matter. Regular follow ups are performed in strategic sites in different bodies of water in the area. The species we monitor in the Madawaska area are the didymo algae, cyanobacteria, zebra mussels, Asian knotweed, Phragmite and the giant hogweed.
When undesirable species are located, eradication measures can be taken by our organism in collaboration with concerned parties. For instance, three sites of Asian knotweed were cut down in the summer of 2016 and will be controlled in the next favorable seasons.
An ecological community approach
Presentations on biodiversity, the importance of insects in the ecosystems and on their ecological roles are offered to students in elementary school and summer camps. Here and there in the Madawaska county, around a dozen insect shelters have been installed to increase the local biodiversity of insects and allow them to perform their ecological functions all the while giving great ideas of ecological gestures to the community. Raising awareness regarding the importance of waste reduction and its impact on the environment conjointly with the installation of green cones to collect organic matter are also activities undertaken by the SARM.
Restauration of the wetland
In 2016, the functions of two important wetlands boarding the Madawaska River were restored. The industrial infrastructures around them were upgraded so the quality of the water flowing down the Madawaska River would improve. Old problematic structures were removed for security reasons and to ensure the restauration of the hydrological cycle. The team softened the banks slopes of the waterways discharging in the wetlands. The water beds were very eroded and degraded and this reduced their capacity to accomplish their functions and caused sedimentation. Afterwards geomembrane was installed on the banks to ensure the stabilization, reduce sedimentation and prevent contamination of the new substrate. Native plants were also planted on the sites to revitalize, increase the stability and to allow the biorestauration of degraded sites.
Project achieved since 1992
Ecological component
1992-93 Study on the water quality
1993-95 Community project for water sampling
1993-94 Identification of polluting sources in the Madawaska River
1993 Building ornithological sites
1993 Development of the Madawaska River banks
1993 Collecting floating wood in the Madawaska River
1994-97 Development of fish habitat
1995 Assessment of the impacts of recreational use of the Madawaska River
1995 Survey of used water discharge and other sources of pollution in the Temiscouata lake
1995 Study on the migration passage of the Hydro-Quebec dam
1995 Planting more than 16 000 trees along the linear park
1995 Banks stabilisation of the Madawaska River and the Rivière aux Perches project
1996 Planting plants along the Madawaska River
1996 Study on the swamps of the Madawaska River
1997 Inventory of fauna and flora of the Madawaska River
1997 Study on the different techniques of stabilisation of the banks with revegetation
1997-16 Writing a bulletin on the environment the Verveine
1997 Dangerous products collecting day
1998 Community management of the fauna of the Madawaska River
1998 Vulgarisation of the utility guide for the users of the Madawaska River
1998 Study on the sediments of the Madawaska River
1998 Management of the sanitary sewer system of the town of Edmundston
2000-01 Classification of waterways of the river basin of the Temiscouata lake and the Madawaska River
2002 Analysis of the mercury rate in the fish flesh of the Madawaska River
2002 Inventory of the macro-invertebrate bottom dwelling of the different water bodies of the river basin.
2003-04 Study and plan on the development of a wetland.
2004 Project on the stabilization of the Couturier creek banks
2004-05 Upgrading project of the septic tanks boarding the Madawaska River and the Iroquois River
2005 Project on the compensation of fish habitat: installation of 14 thresholds in the Petite-Rivière-à-la-Truite
2005-15 Follow up of the concentration of the total coliform and E. coli bacteria in the Madawaska River and other water bodies in the area serving as drinkable water supplies
2006 Study on the concentration of phosphorus in the Temiscouata lake
2007 Study of the ratio of the Giardia wens in the drinkable water basins in Dégelis and Edmundston
2007-17 Inventory of the wood turtle and characterization of its habitat in the Madawaska area
2008 Alliance with the Comity for the environment of the lakes and preliminary analysis of the Baker, Caron and Unique lakes touched by the blue-green algaes (cyanobacteria) phenomenon
2008-17 Creation and distribution of the workbook of the personalized owner to preserve the habitat of the wood turtle in the area
2008 Preliminary analysis of the quality of the water of the Lac Temiscouata
2008-09 Representation and participation at the provisional comity for the creation of the parc National du lac Témiscouata
2009 Establishment of the Organisme du bassin versant du fleuve Saint-Jean, Quebec
2009-10 Characterization of the tributary and analysis of the water quality of the Baker, Caron and Unique lake
2011-12 Surveillance project and conservation of the ecosystems
2011-12 Portrait of the watershed of the Haut-Saint-Jean
2011-14 Project of implication and environmental education in the Madawaska
2013 Environmental intervention project in the Madawaska and Lac Témiscouata
2013 Environmental evaluation of the Baker-Brook River
2013 Environmental evaluation of the Trois-Milles creek
2013-14 Characterization of wetlands and the tributary of the watershed of the Lac Unique
2014-16 Follow up and management of the invading species in Madawaska
2015 Decreasing of the pollution sources of the Baker, Caron, Unique and Temiscouata lake
2015-16 Creation of biodiversity sites
2015-16 Restauration of wetlands
2016 Characterization of river banks at the Riviere-à-la-Truite
2016 Ecological community approach (insects sheltersand green cones)
Recreotourism component
1993 Demolition of the pillars in the Madawaska river
1993 Linear park the Petit Temis
1994 Legal arrangement
1994 Project on education and awareness
1994 Carré des artisans in Edmundston
1994 Parc Lions in Edmundston
1994 Promenade Emmerson in Edmundston
1994 Pavillon d’accueil l’Estacade
1994 Parc l’Héritage de Dégelis
1994 Renovation of the Dégelis train station
1994 Construction of the working building in Dégelis
1995 Dam parc in Dégelis
Studies undertaken by consultants
1992 The fish habitat (Washburn et Gillis)
1992 The navigability (Travaux publics Canada)
1993 Recreotouristic management for the Madawaska river basin in downtown Edmundston (République Consultants inc, Consultation St-Pierre ltée et Basic Design Associates Itée)
1994 The development of the hydrographic watershed (Roche)
1993 The management of the Cabano marina (Pluram inc.)
1997 Study of the benefits and the economic impact of the route verte of the Bas-Saint-Laurent and the management concept (Zins Beauchesne et associes et Pluram inc.)
1998 Study of the filtering of the marsh of the Madawaska River (Nordic Consultants ltée)
Our partners
