Major fluctuations in the water level on Rivière Saint-François in Drummondville beginning September 9, 2024

Hydro-Québec would like to inform residents in the Drummondville region that the water level on Rivière Saint-François between Drummondville and Chute-Hemmings generating stations and upstream of Chute-Hemmings generating station will be subject to major fluctuations beginning the night of September 8 to September 9, 2024, unless flows are stronger than expected. Before the fall flood, we need to recover the bags used to create an inshore trench in order to repair a retaining wall at Drummondville generating station.

To allow the workers to safely access the shoreline, we will lower the water level upstream of Chute-Hemmings generating station to 50 cm below the summer water level before closing the gates and retaining the water while the work is being carried out on the shoreline. Once the maximum level is reached, the employees will leave the work area and the water will be released. This operation (lowering and raising the water level in the river) will be repeated until all the bags have been removed.

Exceptionally, an alarm will sound before the gates are opened. We ask that residents stay away from the banks of the river during this period. Once the work has been completed, we will inform the public and restore the summer water level.

The Curé-Marchand bridge will be closed to all traffic as of 7 a.m. on September 7 in order to prepare the worksite. The bridge will remain closed for the entire duration of the operations. The work will take a few days based on available working hours, which will be determined by the water inflow.

We understand the inconvenience of this exceptional situation and we thank you for your cooperation.

Annie Beaudoin

Advisor – Communications and Communities

For more information, call the Info-Project line: 1 866 388-1978