City says it supports upstream flood mitigation

The City of Medicine Hat will not take a strong position on a potential new off-stream reservoir west of Calgary but generally supports flood mitigation efforts upstream, senior administrators tell the News.

The proposed Springbank Dam would allow managers to take water off the Elbow River and into a massive new valley during high-stream flow, thereby knocking the peak off water volume and lessening the amount of damage during floods.

Public hearings by the Natural Resource Conservation Board are set to wrap up this week.

The City of Calgary presented in favour of the project that three successive provincial governments have worked to advance, acquiring land, finalizing engineering and funding models on the halfbillion-dollar project.

Landowners near the site, however, argue other options should be studied further.

Pat Bohan is the City of Medicine Hat’s director of city assets said in the years since the 2013 flood, the city has built berms, upgraded storm drain outfalls and other infrastructure at water plants to withstand flooding.

“Controlling runoff of the Elbow River which enters the Bow River and eventually the South Saskatchewan River, will allow for better management of flows upstream from Medicine Hat during a flood threat,” said Bohan in a statement provided to the News. “The City of Medicine Hat appreciates any efforts resulting in appropriate flood mitigation for communities in Alberta.

In June 2013 near record high water from a storm and ice melt across the eastern slope of the Rockies flooded High River, downtown

Calgary, threatened to overflow the Bassano Dam, and badly damaged 500 homes in Medicine Hat.

This summer construction on two final legs of the berm strategy are set to be completed.

Harlow Phase II is already underway behind houses on Finlay Court, and connecting two new berms near

Industrial Avenue in the Flats has been scheduled for several years as engineers and council decided final flood priorities.