Flood and drought mitigation - Matt Machielse

Flood and Drought Mitigation

Alberta's Watershed Management Symposium: Flood and Drought Mitigation

April 29, 2014

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Calgary Inglewood

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City of CalgaryMemorial -Sunnyside

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CanmoreCougar Creek

Estimated 2013 Flood Flows

River Location2013 Flow

(cubic meters/second)

Flood Size

Bow Calgary (upstream of Elbow) 1780 1%

Bow Bassano Dam 4200 0.5%

Elbow Upstream of Glenmore Reservoir 1220 0.5%

Highwood Upstream of Town of High River 1820 0.5%

Sheep Upstream of Turner Valley 720 1%

Red Deer Upstream of Glennifer Reservoir 1800 2%

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Improving Alberta’s Flood and Drought Resiliency

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Flood Mitigation Framework: Purpose and Principles

Flooding cannot be prevented, but we can be better prepared

Preparedness, protection and resilience– Reduce risk – Define the “1:100” standard as a 1% chance in any given year

Assess, select, coordinate and implement mitigation measures and policies

Evaluate based on:– Understanding causes, risks and impacts; and– Social, environmental and economic cost/benefit

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Watershed ManagementSystems Approach

Each river basin is a system

Focus on river basins where flooding and drought risks are highest

Implement best combination of upstream, local, individual and policy-based mitigation measures to protect against 1:100 flooding events.

Enhance the ability to protect against water shortages as well.

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1) Overall Watershed Management System-wide view

2) Flood Modelling, Prediction, and Warning SystemsTools to prepare Albertans for future floods

3) Flood Risk Management PoliciesRules that reduce the risk to people, infrastructure, the environment and economy

4) Water Management and Mitigation InfrastructureLayers of flood protection at regional levels

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Seven Key Elements of Mitigation

5) Erosion ControlResiliency of our river systems to handle high water flows

6) Local Municipal Mitigation InitiativesLayers of flood protection at the local level

7) Individual Mitigation Measures for HomesFlood protection for homes most at-risk


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1) Overall Watershed Management

Actions to date:•Southern Regional Storm Water Management Plan implemented•Wallaceville (High River) relocation program

British Columbia

Sas

katc

hew

an

Montana

SOUTH

RIVER SUB-BASINSASKATCHEWAN

RED DEER RIVER BASIN

BOW RIVER BASIN

OLDMAN RIVERBASIN

AlbertaWAT

ERTO

N R

.BE

LLY

R.

REDDEER

ROSEBUD

HIGHWOOD R.ELB

OW

RIVER

RIVER

RIVER

REDDEER R. B

ER

RY

CR

EEK

BOW R.

SOUTH

SASK

ATCH

EWAN

R.

LITTLEBOW R.

MILK R.

CAST

LE R

.

OLDMAN R.

WILLOW

CROWSNEST R.

CREEK

MA

RY R

.

OLDMAN R.

ST.

South Saskatchewan River Basin12


Bow River Sub-Basin

2) Flood Modelling, Prediction, and Warning Systems

Work completed:•$8.7 Million to update flood hazard mapping

•Eight mapping studies complete:

Work ongoing:•Advisory and river basin data updates

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• Banff• Penhold• Rycroft• Thorsby

• Two Hills• Irvine• Walsh• Pine Creek


3) Flood Risk Management Policies

Floodway development restrictions:

•Bill 27 received Royal Assent•Stakeholder consultation on regulations are underway

Floodway relocation program

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4) Water Management and Mitigation Infrastructure

Assessment of:Existing water management infrastructure

Proposed dams and structures for:Bow and Ghost RiversElbow RiverSheep RiverHighwood River

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5) Erosion Control

Flood Recovery and Erosion Control (FREC)

•$216 Million committed•Program ended on March 31, 2014

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6) Local Mitigation Initiatives – by Community

New Program slated for 2014:

Resilience and Mitigation Program (RAMP) $1.6 Billion in requests

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7) Individual Mitigation Measures for Homes

Actions to date:

Disaster Recovery Program

Amendments to Emergency Management Act

Minimum standards for homes (STANDATA)


Our Mitigation Focus

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Mitigation Focus

• Non-Structural Mitigation - managing healthy river systems and minimizing man made impacts– For flood control and drought management– Allows rivers to sustain themselves naturally

• Wetlands for water retention and habitat

• Healthy riparian areas for erosion control and protection of aquatic ecosystems

• Structural Mitigation - large-scale engineering projects

Non-Structural Mitigation Pilots

Wetland Restoration in key areas

Enhancing riparian health on impacted rivers

Structural: On-Stream and Off-Stream Detention or Storage Dams and Reservoirs

Several sites examined

Captures flood water using a dam or a weir and stores it in a reservoir

On-stream storage: the reservoir is part of the river

Off-stream storage: the reservoir is not part of the river

Structural: By-Pass or Diversion

• Bypass the flood risk area by building a tunnel or canal

• The water can be moved:– Around the risk area and back into the same river; or– Diverted from the risk area and into another river

Example: Winnipeg By-Pass Floodway

Proposed Actions

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Eleven (11) water management infrastructure sites throughout the province require upgrades to ensure operational effectiveness during future floods

Upgrade Existing Water Control Infrastructure

Examples - Water Control Infrastructure

Travers Dam and Reservoir

• Provides water to communities, First Nations, industry, irrigation

• Requires emergency spillway

Bullhorn Wasteway

• Provides emergency spill capacity for flood water

• Structure requires upgrading

Example – Water Control Infrastructure

• This structure is 100 years old.

• Provides water to Brooks, Lakeside Packers, irrigators, habitat.

• Requires emergency spillway structure.

Bassano Dam – normal year

Bassano Dam – June, 2013

Mitigation for Communities

The current cost estimate for flood-affected communities exceeds $1.6 Billion.

Canmore - 2013 Turner Valley - 2013

Ft. McMurray - 2013

Bow River Sub-Basin(Bow, Ghost, Elbow, Sheep and Highwood)

Ghost River

Sheep River

Highwood River

Elbow River

British Columbia

Sas

katc

hew

an

Montana

SOUTH

RIVER SUB-BASINSASKATCHEWAN

RED DEER RIVER BASIN

BOW RIVER BASIN

OLDMAN RIVERBASIN

AlbertaWAT

ERTO

N R

.BE

LLY

R.

REDDEER

ROSEBUD

HIGHWOOD R.ELB

OW

RIVER

RIVER

RIVER

REDDEER R. B

ER

RY

CR

EEK

BOW R.

SOUTH

SASK

ATCH

EWAN

R.

LITTLEBOW R.

MILK R.

CAST

LE R

.

OLDMAN R.

WILLOW

CROWSNEST R.CREEK

MA

RY R

.

OLDMAN R.

ST.

Bow River Basin

South Saskatchewan River Basin

Bow and Ghost Rivers: structural mitigation options

Includes:•Two proposed dry dams; and

•Community mitigation

Future Focus:•Community mitigation

Initiatives going forward

River Project Type Recommendation

Bow

BG1 Dam Not Recommended

BW1 Dam Not Recommended

BR1 Dam Not Recommended

Community Mitigation Berms/Dykes Approved to proceed

Elbow River Watershed

Bow River Basin

Elbow River - structural mitigation options

Included:•4 possible dry dams•1 off-stream storage site •Calgary tunnel diversion

Dry Dam SiteOff-Stream Storage SiteCalgary Tunnel Site

Elbow River - structural mitigation options

Future Focus:•1 proposed dry dam;

•1 off-stream storage site; and

•Calgary tunnel diversion. – The City of Calgary is conducting a feasibility study on the tunnel.

Off-Stream Storage Site Schematic (near Springbank Road)

McLean Creek On-Stream Dam Site Schematic

Proposed Structural Mitigation Options

McLean Creek Site

Springbank Road Site

Calgary Tunnel

Off-Stream vs On-Stream Storage

• Drought Protection: live storage can be added to either option

• On-stream (MC1): $189 Million– Protects Bragg Creek and Calgary

– Store 58,000 dam3 of water

• Off-stream (SR 1): $193 Million– Protects Calgary

– Store 57,000 dam3 of water

– Less physical disturbance to the stream

– Less construction window restrictions

– Fish passage on the Elbow River can be implemented

Springbank (SR1) fly-over

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Effects of Springbank (SR1) Off-stream storage

2013 event2013 event

2013 eventwith SR1

Effects of McLean Creek (MC1) On-stream storage

2013 event2013 event

2013 eventwith MC1



Elbow

FC1 Dam Not Recommended

EQ1 Dam Not Viable

EC1 Dam Not Viable

MC1 Dam Decision required after Calgary tunnel study

SR1 Off-Stream Approved for engineering design

Priddis By-Pass Not Recommended

Calgary Tunnel Study Further

Community Mitigation

Berms/Dykes

Approved to proceed

Sheep River Watershed

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Bow River Basin

Sheep River - structural mitigation options Includes: •1 proposed dry dam (S2)•Community mitigation measures

Future Focus: •Community mitigation measures

S2 Dam

Sheep River Basin Town of Turner Valley



SheepS2 Dam Not Recommended


Highwood River Watershed

Bow River Basin

High River- structural mitigation options

Includes:

•2 proposed dry dams

•3 by-pass (north and south of High River) options

•Town of High River flood protection (currently being constructed)

High River By-Pass Channel Options

Tong

ue C

reek

Tongue Creek

High River

Highwood River

Tongue Creek By-Pass

Northern By-Pass

Southern By-Pass

Berms and Bank Protection Projects

Town of High River

Ongoing Berm Construction in High River

By-Pass Channels

Being considered to further protect the Town of High River

Future focus:– North by-pass option– South by-pass option– Both north & south

Highwood Diversion options

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Highwood Diversion options

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Proposed High River Northern By-Pass Option

Proposed High River Southern By-Pass Option

Little Bow Dam & Reservoir

Little Bow Diversion

Includes: By-pass channel to Little

Bow River; and Dam and storage reservoir

to retain flood water.


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Highwood

H5(2) Dam Not Recommended

H2 Dam Not Recommended

High River By-Pass By-Pass Channel Study Further


AthabascaBasin

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Whitecourt

Slave Lake

Ft. McMurray

Ft. McMurray

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Historic flooding - 1977

Fort McMurray – Dyking Flood Mitigation Options

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Athabasca

Ice Control Structure Not Recommended

Crooked Rapids Dam Not Recommended

Clearwater Dam Not Recommended


Red Deer River Sub-Basin

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Red Deer

Drumheller

Sundre

Affected Municipalities

• Municipalities– Sundre– Mountainview County– Red Deer County– City of Red Deer– Drumheller– Regional Water Systems

• Potential Actions– Dyking– Regulating flows

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Potential Water Detention Sites

• Provides storage of flood water• Supplies water to Glennifer Lake during water

shortages

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Red Deer

S1(c) Dam Not Recommended

S4 Dam Not Recommended




S13(b) Dam Not Recommended



South Saskatchewan RiverSub-Basin

• Main flooding occurred in City of Medicine Hat

• Medicine Hat has developed a flood protection plan

• Southern Regional Stormwater Management Plan underway

Medicine Hat

CFB Suffield

Medicine HatFlood Protection Sites

Moving forward

Engineered Projects Considered


Bow

BG1 Dam Not Recommended

BW1 Dam Not Recommended

BR1 Dam Not Recommended


Elbow

FC1 Dam Not Recommended

EQ1 Dam Not Viable

EC1 Dam Not Viable

MC1 Dam Decision required after Calgary tunnel study

SR1 Off-Stream Approved for engineering design

Priddis By-Pass Not Recommended

Calgary Tunnel Study Further


SheepS2 Dam Not Recommended


Engineered Projects Considered


Highwood

H5(2) Dam Not Recommended

H2 Dam Not Recommended

High River By-Pass By-Pass Channel Study Further


Red Deer

S1(c) Dam Not Recommended





S13(b) Dam Not Recommended



Athabasca

Ice Control Structure Not Recommended

Crooked Rapids Dam Not Recommended

Clearwater Dam Not Recommended


Mitigation Spending(in $ millions)

Decision/Description Total 2013 /14

2014 /15

2015 /16

2016 /17

Community mitigation Flood Erosion Control Program Resilience and Mitigation Program High River

21632587

191-

87

25110

-

-110

-

-105

-

Non-structural 21 - 7 7 7

Upgrades to infrastructure 104 - 8 38 58

Elbow/ Highwood Projects 150 - 75 75 -

Total 903 278 225 230 170

$625 million in Budget 2014/2015 to 2016/2017

Next Steps

• Ongoing studies– City of Calgary Tunnel Proposal (early June)– More detailed engineering assessment of select

structural mitigation options (SR1, MC1, By-pass), RFP’s in June

– Implementation of non-structural (watershed management) mitigation options over 3 years

• Implementation of Resilience & Mitigation Program (RAMP) – 3 year funding

Next Steps

• Upgrades of existing water infrastructure– 3 year funding

• Ongoing stakeholder engagement

• Formal regulatory approval processes– beginning this fall

Regulatory Process

• Environmental Assessment based on scale and complexity of proposed project

• Provincial approvals under the Water Act, Historical Resources Act, Natural Resources Conservation Board Act and Public Lands Act

• Federal processes under the Fisheries Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act would likely occur concurrently

Municipal Engagement

• Discussions with community leadership– Meetings with municipal officials within flood-affected

watersheds will provide community leaders with more detail surrounding upcoming flood mitigation projects

– Meetings will take place in each watershed during May/June

Questions?

Government & Nonprofit

Flood and drought mitigation - Matt Machielse