Bowness flood barrier delayed by opposition from homeowners
Homeowner opposition has delayed construction of a flood barrier in Bowness.
Foes of the two-part barrier proposed to extend 1.9 kilometres along the south bank of the Bow River on residents' property say their efforts to halt the project have succeeded — for now.
“We're happy for the delay — the campaign is working and the project is being delayed for good reason,” said Jean Woeller, president of the Bowness Responsible Flood Mitigation Society (BRFM).
Resistance from homeowners has raised the likelihood their property would have to be expropriated, said Woeller, substantially driving up the project's cost, which had been pegged at between $25 million and $35 million.
City administration has called for the project to be paused after 22 of 77 potentially affected riverfront homeowners balked at it, said Ward 1 Coun. Ward Sutherland.
He said the actions of a relative few place the entire community in potential danger.
“I'm disappointed 22 homeowners not participating will affect the safety of (all) 11,500 Bownesians,” said Sutherland. “Those 22 will prevent it from going forward because it would be cost-prohibitive.”
It's not clear how much purchasing the land would add to the project's budget.
The project will be paused for two years while the province reviews options for an upstream Bow River reservoir and dam, and how those might affect the nature and cost of the Bowness barrier, he said.
Mitigation efforts to prevent a repeat of the 2013 southern Alberta flood that severely damaged parts of Calgary, including Bowness, should be concentrated upstream, which would save money earmarked for the berm work, said Woeller.
And she said the city's own data states the proposed barrier wouldn't stop groundwater flooding from affecting 400 Bowness homes.
“Despite the barrier, the community of Bowness would be flooded — we'd have dry lawns and flooded basements,” she said.
“It wouldn't protect us from anything near the 2013 flood.”
Woeller said her own Bow Crescent home's basement was submerged in groundwater during the 2013 flood but that her residence wouldn't be affected by the proposed barrier.
But Sutherland said a newly completed 1.5-year study shows
the barrier would work, be cost-effective and that several pump wells would deal with any underground flooding.
“We have proof from professionals in a study that says we have a solution — (opponents) have opinions,” he said.
And even with mitigation measures upstream, he said, the Bowness barrier would still be required.
“The city, the province and the federal government all signed off on the recommendation that all are necessary to meet flood safety requirements,” said Sutherland.