Surface Current Data of the St. Lawrence River and Estuary

This dataset presents forecasts of the intensity and direction of surface currents in the St. Lawrence Estuary, between Cap de Bon-Désir and Trois-Rivières, an area where tides have a significant and predictable influence on surface water circulation.

These surface current data for the St. Lawrence River and Estuary were produced using a model by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, using a grid 400 m of resolution. The ocean model integrates bottom topography, average river flows, tide predictions, and average vertical stratification conditions (water layers of different densities).The model excludes the effect of winds, the forecasts should be used with caution in intense or extreme wind conditions.

For more information: F.-J. Saucier, J. Chassé, M. Couture, A. D’Astous, R. Dorais, D. Lefaivre et A. Gosselin, 1999. The making of a surface current atlas of the St. Lawrence. Brebbia, C.A., P. Anagnostopoulos (Eds), Transactions on the Built Environment, vol. 43. 1999 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509, 87-97.

View the data in the NAVIGATION app.

Data and resources

  • Access form to Surface Current Data of the St. Lawrence River and Estuary. Only the predictions of the next 4 days are available.
    ERDDAP Open
  • Atlas of tidal currents of St. Lawrence Estuary, from Cap de Bon-Désir to Trois-Rivières.
    PDF Open

Additional information

Temporal extent1994-05-01 – ongoing
Vertical extent0.0 – 5.0 m
Date (creation)1994-05-01
StatusonGoing
Update frequencyasNeeded
Metadata languagefr
Licensegovernment-open-license-canada
Source metadataISO 19115 XML
Last updated2026-07-31
Created2026-07-31
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