Watercourse and bank management has developed considerably in recent decades. It used to be common practice to linearize some watercourses and backfill flood zones to make them buildable. Today, we understand that watercourses and banks follow a natural adaptation process shaped by different control variables. For example, watercourses constantly adjust to changes in flow and slope, as do the active banks along the St. Lawrence River that are eroding while other areas accumulate sediment.