Cypress County, County of Warner, the City of Medicine Hat and the South East Alberta Watershed Alliance Society will share in $2.1 million in grant funds from the Alberta government to improve their resilience to floods.

In announcements made today, Alberta Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips said the money is designed to help recipients adapt to severe weather events expected as a result of climate change.

Cypress County will receive $923,400 to relocate its water pump station from a flood hazard area.

Medicine Hat will get $774,000 to improve a pump house water intake facility so it can function during high water events and so that the city’s power plant is protected in floods.

Another $378,000 is earmarked for projects to improve natural watershed functions along Seven Persons Creek and in the County of Warner.

The latter municipality will also get $157,000 to support improvements to riverbanks and water quality as part of a stewardship initiative at the Milk River Ridge Reservoir.

The watershed alliance society will receive $221,000 to work with landowners in restoring 10 kilometres of riverbank along Seven Persons Creek.