Municipality of Pointe-Calumet

Location: Municipality of Pointe-Calumet, QC

Project Type: Shorelines & Waterways

Application: Riverbank Stabilization

Product Used: PYRAMAT 75

The Municipality of Pointe-Calumet, QC, is located on the northern shore of the Ottawa River. High water levels caused overtopping of existing concrete walls along the shoreline, which lead to severe flooding. To support the community in adapting to more frequent and intensifying weather events, federal funding was granted to protect the municipality from future flooding. The Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) is a 10-year program to help communities build the infrastructure they need to better withstand natural hazards such as floods, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts.

Utilizing DMAF, the Town extended the concrete walls an additional 700 mm in height. The walls stretch 2.5 km in length and run through around 150 lots. To provide erosion protection for the homeowners who live on the landside of the wall, PYRAMAT® 75 High Performance Turf Reinforcement (HPTRM) was installed. PYRAMAT 75 is engineered to provide superior erosion control on vegetated waterways for up to 75 years. It promotes reinforced vegetation and has been recognized as a Best Management Practice (BMP) by the EPA for improving water quality. Once installed, a combination of sod was placed over the PYRAMAT.

The vegetated solution provides homeowners with a natural aesthetic, and supports Canada’s vision of a more resilient, low-carbon economy. Green infrastructure supports community growth while combating the effects of climate change.