COCHRANE, Alta. – A controversial dry reservoir project west of Calgary designed to control catastrophic flooding is going ahead, says the Alberta environment minister.
Two other flood mitigation projects are still on the drawing board but the province has decided to move quickly to prevent a flood similar to that experienced in southern Alberta in 2013. It resulted in at least $6 billion in damages.
“No final decision has been made on the other two projects but, Springbank, we are moving ahead,” Kyle Fawcett told reporters March 6.
“We are negotiating with the landowners to get access to the land and we will do an environmental impact assessment. As soon as we get through that process we will start construction,” he said.
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Project planning, consulting with affected residents and environmental assessments are happening simultaneously to clear the way for construction later this year.
The project requires diversion canals to take water from the Elbow River and hold it in a reservoir until the risk of flood is past. Most years the 3,000 acre reservoir will be empty.
The Springbank offstream reservoir is about 15 km west of Calgary. Affected landowners want the reservoir located further to the northwest on public land in an area known as McLean Creek.
Fawcett said there are substantial environmental challenges associated with the McLean Creek proposal because of the impacts on wildlife corridors and watershed headwaters. An impact assessment could take two to five years to complete.
Government officials and the engineering firm Stantec are holding two open houses to answer questions from affected landowners.
The first meeting will be: Tuesday, March 10 from 4:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Pinebrook Golf Course, 166 Pinebrook Way SW, Calgary.
The second will be: Tuesday, March 17 from 4:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Bragg Creek Community Centre, 23 White Avenue, Bragg Creek.
Contact barbara.duckworth@producer.com
