Towns rebuilding | Money will assist with erosion control and infrastructure projects
The Alberta government has set aside $20 million to help restore damaged lands in flood-ravaged communities.
The money is directed at municipalities to implement erosion control and restore land for structural and public safety. Specific details on what kind of work is needed will be finalized later this summer.
For many rural municipalities this mitigation work should complement infrastructure restoration, said Bob Barss, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties.
Rural municipalities need to rebuild water and wastewater treatment facilities, as well as roads and bridges that were lost during the floods across southern Alberta at the end of June.
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“Erosion (control) and infrastructure need to go hand in hand,” said Barss, who is meeting with the province to discuss details of the announcement.
Each community will have to receive individual attention because the damage was different across the region. There are still no firm estimates of costs.
“Most communities have seen the damage but they have not wanted to attach a number to the loss,” he said. For example, the Municipal District of Bighorn west of Calgary estimates losses of $4 million while Rockyview County figures its losses at around $1 million.
“I expect we will be working on this for the rest of the summer right up until freeze-up,” he said.
This funding is in addition to assistance provided through the disaster recovery program to help communities, homeowners, and small businesses rebuild to a functional and safe state. It covers damages to buildings and structures caused by uninsurable events.
Physical barriers, such as rocks or boulders, are often used as erosion controls to armour a river or streambed against damage from water or ice. Bridge abutments and pilings are other techniques used for erosion control.
