Chapter III – Protection of aquatic environments, riparian areas, wetlands and soils
Division I – Beds of lakes and watercourses

Section 26

The travel of logging machines is prohibited on the bed of a watercourse, except to construct or remove a bridge or culvert or to place or remove a removable structure. In that case, only one round trip of the logging machine in the watercourse is then allowed on the site of the installation and no work may be done from the bed of the watercourse.

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Objectives

To preserve the integrity of a wildlife habitat
To avoid disturbing the bed of a lake or watercourse
To avoid carrying sediment into an aquatic, wetland or riparian environment
To avoid contaminating the forest
To preserve the integrity of an aquatic, wetland or riparian environment

The travel of logging machines is also allowed on the bed of a watercourse to carry out work to install coffer dams and structures to temporarily divert the watercourse, in accordance with section 93.

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Objectives

To preserve the integrity of a wildlife habitat
To avoid disturbing the bed of a lake or watercourse
To avoid carrying sediment into an aquatic, wetland or riparian environment
To avoid contaminating the forest
To preserve the integrity of an aquatic, wetland or riparian environment

This section does not apply to the travel of logging machines used to carry out vegetation control activities by the holder of a forestry permit issued for public utility works. However, passing through the fish habitat requires the prior issue of the authorizations required under the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife This link opens a new window (chapter C-61.1).

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Objective

To allow certain forest development activities in or near a particular place

Explanations

A person holding a forestry permit issued for public utility work and is authorized to carry out vegetation control activities may travel with a logging machine on the bed of a watercourse when travelling for the purpose of carrying out the work (e.g. in the right-of-way of electricity transmission lines). However, under section 128.7 de la Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife This link opens a new window (chapter C-61.1), the person must first obtain authorization to travel on the bed of a watercourse that is a fish habitat. If this authorization is not obtained, the person must build a means of crossing the watercourse.

Additional information

The Sustainable Forest Development Act This link opens a new window states that a forestry permit is required to carry out certain forest development activities in forests in the domain of the State (section 73). The Act allows the Minister to issue a permit authorizing the holder to carry out the forest development activities specified on the permit, on the conditions determined by the Minister (section 74).