We hope you’ve all been well since we were last in touch and that you had a good close-out of 2024. Below we’ve recapped a number of flood related matters to bring you up to speed and share next steps.

SR1 on track for spring 2025 operation

SR1 is on schedule for spring 2025 operational status. Transportation has communicated that the project is now 90% complete and they’re pushing for March completion.

This means that SR1 will be in operational service for the 2025 flood season and, working in concert with the new Glenmore Reservoir Gates installed by the City of Calgary, is designed to mitigate a flood up to the magnitude of 2013 on the Elbow River.

So, after 12 long and trying years, WE DID IT!

A significant project milestone was achieved a few weeks back: the final elevation for the dam structure has been reached. Every bit of concrete has been placed, the gates are in (and have been tested and commissioned), and the structures are done. All that remains is the tail-end of commissioning, some earth moving, and final cleanup.

Alberta Ministry of Agricultureand Irrigation will be responsible for the operation of SR1. The handover will occur once the structure becomes operational.

💡 Alberta Ministry of Agricultureand Irrigation (formerly Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development) plays a significant role in the operation and management of dams in Alberta, particularly those related to irrigation systems.

Bow Basin Reservoir Options (BRRO) Phase 2: Feasibility Study nears completion — Relocated Ghost Dam option selected

The Feasibility Study Phase 2 of the BRRO project has been progressing, and in September 2024 Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) has decided to move forward with further exploration of the Relocated Ghost Dam option. The feasibility study determined that the relocated Ghost Reservoir option was preferred due to its lower cost, ability to meet drought and flood mitigation performance objectives, and fewer social and environmental impacts.

The next step is Treasury Board approval, which includes finalizing funding for the next stage of the project and finalizing project teams (how big of a team is needed, FTEs, etc). Once Treasury Board approval is in place, EPA will hand the project off to Transportation for Phase 3: Engineering & regulatory approvals. AEPA is finishing all of their reports to final form, and they’ll be used for detailed design and so forth. Transportation is already working with AEPA to prepare for the handoff and set-up for this large project.

Below is the most current timeline graphic available (September 2024). Image source: AEPA

Read the full September 2024 update from AEPA announcing that the BRRO project will focus on the Relocated Ghost Dam option: September 2024 Update – The Bow River Reservoir Options Phase 2: Feasibility Study

Read the full July 2024 update from AEPA announcing it would no longer pursue study on the Morley reservoir option.: July 2024 Update – The Bow River Reservoir Options Phase 2: Feasibility Study

Flood Hazard Mapping and Development Rules for Calgary

Earlier this year the draft provincial Flood Hazard Maps were released (they are now final, see section below), and the City of Calgary sought public feedback on future floodplain policies and regulations for existing and new zones. The engagement opportunity was operated by the City’s Calgary River Valleys Project and the deadline for feedback closed on March 3.

So what’s happened since then?

The What We Heard Report from the last Stage of CRVP Engagement has been published on the City’s website at Calgary River Valleys Project | Engage (direct report link here). There was also a parallel engagement on the Calgary Plan which incorporated Flood Policy content, also available online here: City Building | Engage.

The City Building Program “Calgary Plan” is not specifically aimed at flooding but it does affect all of us as residents of Calgary. It is all about planning for the future of how we move, build, and use land across the city. It will align and strengthen the City’s tools and plans that will work together to create a clear, concise and central 30-year vision and 10-year action plan.

Read more about the Calgary Plan here: https://engage.calgary.ca/citybuilding

There will be final round of CRVP engagement in early 2025, that will present a complete set of mapping and flood regulations for input and discussion. The specific timelines for this phase of work are unconfirmed (anticipated Spring 2025), but CRCAG has been advised we will receive early notice of subsequent project steps so we can engage our membership.

Finalized Flood Hazard Maps for Upper Bow River Flood Study

The Upper Bow River Flood Study, finalized on September 23, 2024, assesses and identifies flood and river-related hazards along 118 km of the Bow River, as well as sections of Policeman Creek, Exshaw Creek, Bighill Creek, and Jumpingpound Creek. The study area extends from Banff National Park to Bearspaw Dam, encompassing communities such as Canmore, Cochrane, Exshaw, and others.

As per the finalization process, a number of things have happened:

✔️ Final flood maps have been shifted from the draft section of the online flood map viewer to the final section of the viewer (https://floods.alberta.ca/), replacing any older maps in the area. The public can now download the refreshed Alberta-wide final flood mapping GIS dataset through the viewer.

✔️ The program website (https://www.alberta.ca/flood-hazard-identification-program) has been updated to reflect the finalization of the new studies. This has shifted information from the “Draft studies and new work” page to the “Final flood studies and maps” page, removing references to any older studies being replaced. The flood study engagements website (https://www.alberta.ca/flood-study-engagements) has been updated to reflect that engagement is complete for all flood studies being finalized.

✔️ Individual study engagement pages have been archived as a record of engagement, but draft report and map library content has been removed.

✔️ New flood study reports will be available through the Open Government portal at https://open.alberta.ca. This will make the reports available to the public and all interested stakeholders. Below is the direct link to the record: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/upper-bow-river-flood-study

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Stay tuned for more news on these matters as they develop in the coming months. If you’d like to get in touch with us, you can reach us at info@crcactiongroup.com. 

Regards, CRCAG Board