Lake restauration in Quebec: A challenge to the actual environmental problems
Canada has one of the greatest freshwater reserves in the world. The province of Québec is not an exception to this generalization in that there are over 750 000 lakes and a large number of rivers of all sizes within the provincial boundaries. A major portion of this resource is highly vulnerable and is exposed to many contamination and environmental problems such as eutrophication, contamination from various pollutants, acidification, global climate changes, etc. In the province of Québec, actions are presently oriented toward reducing pollution hazards at the source by way of legislation, incentives and grant programs (wastewater cleanup programs), while resorting to short term direct approaches only in cases of emergencies and extreme necessity. The present article summarizes information about the problems encountered in Québec, their incidence, and the range of solutions available to reduce the impacts. This reflection is conducted in a way that favors a concerted global approach, which could act as the basis for a true water management policy.