Bragg Creek resident Dick Koetsier plans to take his fight to convince the province to build the McLean Creek dry dam by holding a rally in downtown Calgary.
Koetsier will lead the rally at the McDougall Centre March 5 at noon because he and 804 Albertans who signed his online and print petitions would like the province to build the McLean Creek dry dam, which they believe would protect Bragg Creek and Redwood Meadows from future flooding.
On Feb. 25, Alberta Environmental and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) released cost-benefit analysis reports on the proposed McLean Creek dry dam, the Springbank off-stream reservoir and the Glenmore reservoir diversion.
An environmental overview of the McLean Creek dry dam, Provincial Flood Damage Assessment Study and the City of Calgary: Assessment of Flood Damages reports were also released.
ESRD minister Kyle Fawcett said the province is moving forward with the Springbank off-stream reservoir as fast as possible, and when other studies have been completed, they will make decisions on these projects.
“Both projects (Glenmore reservoir diversion and McLean Creek dry dam) are still on the table at this point,” said Fawcett. “I appreciate people’s patience (while reaching these decisions).”
ESRD spokesperson Jason Penner said the province had commissioned a benefit-cost analysis of project combinations study last week, with a draft to be completed in May.
This new study would help determine whether it is cost effective for the province to build the McLean Creek dry dam and/or the Glenmore reservoir diversion, in addition to building the Springbank off-stream reservoir.
“These benefit-cost studies will clearly define the incremental financial value of building additional flood mitigation infrastructure projects along the Elbow River to work in combination with the Springbank off-stream reservoir,” said Penner. “What is the benefit-cost ratio of building a second project – either the McLean Creek or the Glenmore reservoir diversion?”
Koetsier said that he does not understand why the province is saying that it is still considering building both the Springbank and McLean Creek flood mitigation projects.
“I believe they are just trying to shut us up,” Koetsier said. “Both dams achieve the same result, so why on earth would they consider both — do they have an extra $400 million kicking around for a rainy day?”
Alberta conservationist Kevin Van Tighem does not want the province to build the McLean Creek dry dam, or any other large scale engineered flood mitigation projects.
Van Tighem said that engineered structures could fail during a massive flood event due to the hydrological pressure of the water pushing up against them.
“I am opposed to these large scale river dams that could potentially destroy entire river valleys,” said Van Tighem. “There is an illusion of security if engineers build a big structure, but that structure can sometimes fail and that causes bigger devastation.”
Instead, Van Tighem said he would like the province to consider turning road crossings along the Elbow River at Highway 66 into a series of small-scale dry dams that would mitigate flooding.
“The roadbed itself becomes the dam and doesn’t wash out when the stream gets too big for the gap in the bridge and flows over the road,” said Van Tighem. “These small dams will use existing floodplains and allow streams to remain connected, thereby not causing radical changes to stream behaviour.”
Van Tighem said that if the province fixed the headwaters landscape, the risk of future massive flooding would be reduced.
“I think the ideal solution is to restore the health of the headwaters landscape.”
Fawcett said mandating natural projects, such as healthy wetlands and riparian areas, could hold water back more effectively.
“We take the protection of Alberta natural resources very seriously and there are regulatory processes in place when developing a project (such as the McLean Creek dry dam),” said Fawcett. “The cost to those natural systems is part of the environmental impact assessment process.”
“Natural projects are part of the solution when comes to significant flooding that puts communities in peril to avoid damage and suffering like the 2013 floods.”
The province will host Springbank off-stream reservoir open houses in Springbank March 10 and Bragg Creek March 17 to get more feedback from affected residents and landowners.
“We are getting as much information and feedback as possible to make the best decisions on behalf of all Albertans,” said Fawcett.
While no decision has been made on the McLean Creek dry dam, the recent ESRD reports state that the province has committed additional funds, increased from $6.1 million to $8.9 million, to Rocky View County to build berms and dykes in Bragg Creek for flood mitigation.
