Low water levels in Quebec rivers spur navigation warnings, watering bans
Kevin Lajoie, spokesman for the company that manages the St. Lawrence Seaway, says the corporation has restricted speeds in response to lower water levels on Lake St. Louis.
Francis Fortin-Legault of Canadian Hydrographic Service says ship pilots should be subtracting about 10 centimetres from the available depth of water in the St. Lawrence River compared to what's indicated on maps of the waterway.
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Fortin-Legault says current water levels are reduced because of the operations of dams, but also because of a lack of rain in recent weeks.
The Canadian Coast Guard put out a notice on Aug. 6, warning that buoys between Montreal and Trois-Rivières may be off position and unreliable due to levels that have fallen below the norms.
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Montreal officials have also imposed restrictions on lawn watering and other water use in some boroughs west of downtown because of low levels in the Rivière des Prairies.
They say the low levels create poor water quality and increase strain on water-treatment infrastructure.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025.
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