The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, today congratulated Dr. Amir Ali Khan and his team from the department’s Water Resources Management Division and Thomas Puestow and his team with C-CORE’s Earth Observation Group on receiving a Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland & Labrador (PEG-NL) environmental award for their innovative development of the Badger River Ice Monitoring Service.

Following significant flooding that occurred in Badger in 2003, Dr. Khan and Mr. Puestow in collaboration with the European Space Agency, developed a pilot project using radar satellites to observe river ice fronts to forecast potential flooding. Using radar imagery, a project team with the Water Resources Management Division developed a system to conduct flood forecasting within a couple of hours of receiving the images.

Through the collaboration of the department and community partners such as the Badger town council and Nalcor Energy, risk mitigation procedures are now in place to minimize the effects of potential flooding. The Badger River Ice Monitoring Service was the first operational river ice monitoring service in the world, and this innovative technology has since been used in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Yukon, New Brunswick, Alaska, and Russia.

This technology was used to respond to last year’s flooding in Mud Lake and this year’s flooding at Deer Lake and used earlier this year up until May to provide flood alerts to the communities of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Mud Lake.

Budget 2018 includes $2 million for flood risk mapping studies and forecasting for the Humber River Valley, Exploits River Valley, Badger Ice Progression, Mud Lake and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. This is part of a $75 million investment that the Provincial Government is making in providing local services and mitigating the impacts of adverse weather events.

These initiatives deliver on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.

Quotes
“I congratulate Dr. Khan, Mr. Puestow and their respective teams on the development of this groundbreaking ice monitoring system that has provided valuable information in risk assessments for the Exploits River every year since its inception. We appreciate the knowledge, teamwork and innovation that public service employees demonstrate in their work daily. On behalf of the Provincial Government, I thank you for your efforts to improve the safety and well-being of our residents and communities.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment

“We at C-CORE are very proud to have worked with the province to create the world’s first satellite-based river ice monitoring system. Now a made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador solution to a provincial environmental challenge is helping communities throughout the country and around the world predict and prepare response to flooding. We’re honored to have been recognized, along with our provincial partners, with the PEG-NL Environmental Award.”
Paul Griffin
President and Chief Executive Officer, C-CORE

“The PEG-NL Environment Award recognizes outstanding contributions to environmental management in the province. The Badger River Ice Monitoring Service utilizes technological and engineering applications in a unique and innovative approach to environmental and safety concerns and is thus a deserving recipient for this award.”
Geoff Emberley
CEO and Registrar of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador

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Learn More

Badger Water Level Information: www.mae.gov.nl.ca/waterres/flooding/badger.html

Flood Alerting in Newfoundland and Labrador: www.mae.gov.nl.ca/waterres/flooding/

Water Level Monitoring Enhanced on the Churchill River: gov.nl.ca/releases/2018/mae/0215n06.aspx

Contract Awarded for Flood Risk Mapping Study of Lower Churchill River: gov.nl.ca/releases/2018/mae/0611n04.aspx

Media contacts
Erin Shea
Municipal Affairs and Environment
709-729-2575, 725-4321
erinshea@gov.nl.ca 

Deirdre Greene-Lono 
C-CORE 
709-864-3083; 689-1012
deirdre.greene-lono@c-core.ca 

Justin Haley
Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador
709-753-7714, ext 109 
jhaley@pegnl.ca