About this episode

Otto Bedard discusses the technology and methods used to measure water levels across Canada, especially in the context of recent flooding.

In this episode of Backroads Bill, we sit down with Otto Bedard who is an expert technologist in hydrometry, hydraulics and innovation. With recent flooding hitting the North Bay area, the timing couldn’t be better. Otto takes us inside the system most people never think about, the network of gauges, sensors, and data collection points that track how high rivers rise and how fast water moves. We dive into how water levels are actually measured, what “stage” and “discharge” mean, and how this data gets shared across Canada to help inform decisions around flooding, infrastructure, and safety. Otto also walks through how technology has changed the job, from handwritten logs and manual readings to automated systems that update every hour. 0:00 – Intro 4:34 – What the “Water Office” Actually Does 6:46 – How Water Levels Are Measured (Then vs Now) 9:21 – Why Water Data Is So Important 15:02 – Real-Time Data & Flood Monitoring 22:01 – Technology Changing Water Measurement 33:06 – Traveling the North to Measure Water

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