The Calgary River Communities Action Group (CRCAG) is calling on the Government of Alberta to urgently advance flood protection infrastructure on the Bow River, ensuring all communities are protected against a one in 200 year flood event.
While the completion of the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir provides protection for the Elbow River, which includes nearby communities such as Bragg Creek, the CRCAG emphasizes that the Bow River remains dangerously under-protected.
"We are asking the Province to move swiftly on the Relocated Ghost Dam option and continue identifying additional projects that fill the remaining protection gaps along the Bow,” CRCAG explained.
The Province did announce that it would be moving forward with further exploration of the Relocated Ghost Dam option, beginning with engineering and regulatory approval this year.
Press Secretary Ryan Fournier said that through Budget 2025, the Province allocated $11.9 million over two years to support engineering and regulatory approvals for the Relocated Ghost Dam.
"Last month, the city received over $3.5 million through the Drought and Flood Protection Program to help expand flood protections," Fournier added. "Alberta's government also expanded the flood maps for Calgary and surrounding areas along the Bow and Elbow rivers – with more studies and maps to come."
He also added that a province-wide water storage review is also now underway, and applications will open for another $25 million in Drought and Flood Protection program funding this fall.
Ghost Lake Reservoir borders Rocky View County's western edge with the conceptual location north of Radnor and west of Wildcat.
However, due to the scope of the project and required research, physical operations may not even begin until 2037 - prompting the CRCAG's concern.
“We believe a multi-project approach is necessary to close the protection gap on the Bow,” said the CRCAG Board.
CRCAG has commended the government for proceeding with the project, but calls for rapid advancement through engineering and regulatory approvals.
"Communities should support and advocate for local [and] interim flood mitigation projects where feasible, and upstream mitigation projects as the ultimate solution," CRCAG continued. "Communities should continue to press their provincial representatives about progress on flood mitigation upstream on the Bow."
The action group added that the protection provided by upstream infrastructure on the Bow River should be evaluated with 800 m³/s as the maximum peak allowable flow.
They're also urging the Government’s Water Storage Opportunities Study give consideration to alternatives like the Benchlands Reservoir and Pumped Storage Hydropower Project, which may offer triple benefits—water storage, power generation, and flood protection.
"What is most critical is that the need for flood mitigation on the Bow River not be forgotten," the board specified. "We are more than a decade out from the 2013 flood and at least a decade away from any upstream flood mitigation infrastructure being operational on the Bow. That sort of timeline really is not acceptable, and we need to press our elected officials to move with urgency."
Rocky View County communities along the Bow River include Cochrane, Glenbow, Springbank, and Bearspaw - along with numerous homes and acerages.
The CRCAG formed in 2013 following the flood that left five dead and more than $5 billion in damages.
People can visit https://protectcalgary.com for more information on the CRCAG.
