IPIS5520 IPIS5520 – WINTER 2014
NATURAL HAZARDS IN CANADA: RISK AND IMPACT
DESCRIPTION
Overview of natural hazards and severe weather phenomena in Canada. Notions of
risk, return period, and probability of occurrence of natural disasters. Impact on society
and infrastructure. Mitigation policies and strategies.
OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH
For each of the Canadian natural hazards presented, objectives are:
 To understand its causes
 To describe its characteristics
 To examine its impact on society and infrastructure
 To be aware of mitigation strategies.
The course includes formal lectures (with opportunities for short discussions), self-study
(mandatory book readings), and a capstone team exercise. It will be enriched by guest
lectures from practitioners in various aspects of natural hazards such as scientists,
engineers, historians, and NGO representatives.
LECTURES
Professor:
Claire Samson (claire.samson@carleton.ca; 2170 Herzberg,
x. 4396)
Lectures:
Tuesday 8:35 AM – 11:25 AM, 4342 Mackenzie
Office hours:
Thursday 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM, 2170 Herzberg
At these times, I am available in person in room 2170
Herzberg and on SKYPE (my SKYPE ID is
CU_ERTH2415). Feel free to come to see me or to
connect with me via text, audio or webcam.
Individual appointments also available at other times with
prior arrangements made via email.
Teaching assistant:
Michael Ellam (MichaelEllam@cmail.carleton.ca)
TEXTBOOK (Required)
Abbott, P.L. and Samson, C. 2012 (2nd Edition). Natural Disasters – Canadian Edition.
McGraw Hill Ryerson, ISBN-10: 0070385491; ISBN-13: 9780070385498.
IPIS5520 SCHEDULE (Subject to change)
Guest speakers are indicated in italics.
Date
Lecture Topic
1
2
Introduction
7 Jan
Canada’s policy on natural disasters
Guest speaker: Matt Godsoe, Public Safety Canada
3
Plate tectonics and earthquakes
14 Jan
4
Earthquakes in Canada
5
Earthquakes close to home
Guest speaker: Maurice Lamontagne, NRCan
21 Jan
6
Charlevoix earthquakes
Guest speaker: Anne Trépanier, Carleton U.
7
Earthquake mitigation
Guest speaker: David McCormack, NRCan
28 Jan
8
Seismic micro-zonation studies
Guest speaker: Dariush Motazedian, Carleton U.
9
Climate change and severe weather
4 Feb
10
Severe weather in Canada: case histories
11
Severe weather in Canada: case histories (continued)
11 Feb
12
The role of the Red Cross when natural disasters strike
Guest speaker: Louise Geoffrion, Red Cross
Winter break (17-21 Feb): No classes
Student presentations (short exercise #3)
25 Feb
13
Floods
14
The Red River of Manitoba
Guest speaker: Greg Brooks, NRCan
4 Mar
15
The 1996 Saguenay flood
Guest speaker: Greg Brooks, NRCan
16
Mass movements
11 Mar
17
Mass movements (continued)
18
Mitigation against mass movements
Guest speaker: Matthew Lato, Rocksense Inc.
18 Mar
19
Snow avalanches
25 Mar
1 Apr
8 Apr
Disaster game
Disaster game debriefing
Review before final exam
In-class final exam
IPIS5520 EVALUATION
Participation mark
Short exercises 1. Canadian
statistics
2. Social
media
3. Illustration
Term paper
In-class final
exam
Deadline: 21 January 2014
5%
5%
Deadline: 4 February 2014
5%
Short presentations on
25 February 8:35-9:55
Deadline: 11 March 2014
5%
4. Floodfrequency
curve
Deadline: 25 March 2014
8 April 8:35-10:35
5%
40 %
35 %
TOTAL
100 %
For the participation mark, you will be asked to contribute questions for our invited
speakers and to attend class:
 One question for each of the guest lectures.
 Questions to be submitted by email to our TA at least two days before the guest
lecture.
Short exercise #1: Analyze Canadian statistics on natural disasters
Short exercise #2: Do social media have a role to play with regards to natural disasters?
Answer in 2 pages of text.
Short exercise #3: Find one illustration (photograph, graph, sketch, etc.) about a
Canadian natural disaster of your choice. Make a short presentation (4-5 minutes) to the
class about the illustration. Why did you choose it? What is the hazard? What led to the
disaster? What we the consequences of the disaster? What can we do to prevent a
similar to occur in the future?
Short exercise #4: Compute and answer questions about a flood-frequency curve.
Term paper:
Choose a Canadian city where a natural disaster has occurred in the past (each student
must choose a different city; choice of city to be made at the latest on 14 January 2014).
 To which natural hazard(s) is the city exposed?
 Describe the natural disaster(s).
 How is(are) the natural hazard(s) currently mitigated?
IPIS5520 The term paper should include:
 A title page;
 15 pages of double spaced text;
 10 pages of diagrams, tables and/or figures;
 A list of references (although Abbott & Samson is a good source of information to
get you started, it is expected that your term paper is mostly based on other
sources).
This is the rubric that will be used to mark the term paper:
Marks
available
Structure of the paper
(5 marks)
Content of the paper
(30 marks)
Introduction
2
Logical flow of ideas
1
Conclusion
2
To which natural hazard(s) is the
city exposed?
10
Describe the natural disaster(s)
10
How are(is) the natural hazard(s)
mitigated?
Well chosen figures that reinforce
the information presented in the
text
Choice of figures and
quality of written
English (5 marks)
10
1
Informative figure captions
1
Adequate referencing of sources
1
English language
2
TOTAL
40
In-class final exam:
 Duration: 2 hours
 There will be true/false questions, multiple choice questions, short-answer and
long-answer questions.
 Open-book: the only source of information you can use is Abbott & Samson
IPIS5520 READING ASSIGNMENTS
Lecture Material to read
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Chapter 1
Chapter 2 (p.23-33); Chapter 3
Chapter 4 (except for Mexico City, 1985; Tangshan,
China, 1976; Sichuan Province, 2008; San Andreas
fault; North Anatolian fault; Kobe, Japan)
Chapter 5
Chapter 2 (p.33-43); Chapter 9 (p.211-224 and 253260)
Chapter 9 (p.224-253, except for Europe’s heat wave)
Chapter 10 (p.266-284)
Chapter 11 (except for London flood barrier, Huang and
Yangtze Rivers)
Chapter 13 (p.347-372 and 381-386, except
sturzstroms; Venice, Italy)
Chapter 13 (p.372-380)
CULearn
You can log into CULearn by going to: https://www.carleton.ca/culearn/
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Download the lecture notes from CULearn.
Check the announcements and your email regularly.
Post all content-related questions to the discussion board.
You will be able to track your marks on CULearn.
In case of problems with CULearn, go to: http://www5.carleton.ca/culearnsupport/
IPIS5520 REQUESTS FOR ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS
You may need special arrangements to meet your academic obligations during the term
because of disability, religious obligations or pregnancy.
Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations in this course must
register with the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC) for a formal
evaluation of disability-related needs. Documented disabilities include but are not limited
to mobility/physical impairments, specific Learning Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/
psychological disabilities, sensory disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), and chronic medical conditions. Registered PMC students are required to
contact the PMC (613-520-6608) to have a Letter of Accommodation sent to Claire
Samson by their Coordinator.
For religious obligations and pregnancy: please email Claire Samson with any requests
for academic accommodation on Tuesday 21 January 2014 at the latest, or as soon
as possible after the need for accommodation is known to exist.
You can visit the Equity Services website to view the policies and to obtain more
detailed information on academic accommodation at:
http://carleton.ca/equity/accommodation
The student guide to academic accommodation can be found at:
http://www2.carleton.ca/equity/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/
Student-Guide-to-Academic-Accommodation.pdf
MISSED IN-CLASS FINAL EXAM
For students who are unable to write the in-class final exam on Tuesday 8 April 2014
because of illness or other circumstances beyond their control must inform Claire
Samson on Friday 11 April 2014 at the latest. Their case must be substantiated with an
official medical note or other documents. These students will write a deferred exam.
APPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Cell phones must be turned OFF at all times.
BOOK IN THE LIBRARY RESERVE
2 hour maximum reading period

Abbott, P.L. and Samson, C. 2012 (2nd Edition).
Edition. Natural Disasters – Canadian