Canmore’s plans to build a $37 million debris retention structure in Cougar Creek will have to include re-designation of the specific area of the wildland provincial park for it to be completed.
Manager of engineering Andy Esarte provided council with an update on all flood mitigation projects at its committee of the whole meeting, Tuesday (June 9).
Esarte explained that the debris flood mitigation structure by design requires an access road so regular maintenance can be completed. As it is designed to hold back rocks and debris in a debris flood or debris flow event, regular clearing of debris will be required.
However, he said current provincial regulations surrounding the wildland provincial park the structure is proposed to be located within do not allow for that access road to be built.
“We were hopeful to find something in the legislation to allow an access road to the structure,” Esarte said. “Unfortunately, from a legal perspective, it does not look like that is going to be a fruitful route to take.”
He said the next steps are to look at converting the wildland park designation for the specific area the structure and road would be located in to a different park designation. That process, Esarte added, will also involve significant public engagement.
“We are still hopeful we will see construction in 2016 and we still think conditions will be quite favourable then,” he said.
The $37 million budget breakdown has the Town of Canmore contributing $4 million from its general capital reserves, $18 million from a Flood Recovery and Erosion Control provincial grant, $4 million from Alberta Transportation and $11 million from the Alberta Community Resilience Program.
However, while the newly elected provincial government has stated it supports moving forward on flood mitigation, the $4 million from transportation and $11 million grant are not yet secured. The municipality will have to apply for the ACRP grant funds for the next round of funding. Canmore does, however, have the $18 million from the FREC grant in the bank.
“We do not expect to hear any confirmation of funding for some time,” Esarte said.
Meanwhile, detailed design and geotechnical work is well underway for the debris structure and scheduled for July. That includes work in the channel to figure out how permeable the material in the channel bed is and look at where abutments will be.
Esarte said the environmental impact assessment contract has been awarded to Matrix, which has two project staff who live in Canmore and have done significant work in the Bow Valley.
“The assessment work is underway and from a technical point of view it was a quick start,” he said. “Unfortunately, the process around engagement is behind schedule.”
Esarte said the municipality is working with the province to address and improve coordination of engagement, including with First Nations.
The modelling of the structure, which has been shortened by four metres at the spillway to be 26-metres tall, is underway in Vienna. The purpose of the debris flood structure is to provide sufficient risk reduction for the developed alluvial fan that is the Cougar Creek area.
When it comes to Stoneworks Creek, Esarte said a risk assessment has been completed, but work on the hazard assessment still needs to be started.
“We are starting to get our heads around what the implications could be,” he said, “what all stakeholders goals are for current development and future planned development and what the community’s goals are and creating safe and sustainable development in that area.”
It has also become evident that pedestrian movement, parking, trailhead access and landscaping of Cougar Creek require addressing.
Esarte said some landscaping will occur this year and administration will look at options for enhancing cycling, walking and parking where Benchlands connects with Elk Run.
“A lot of those enhancements will be rolled into the capital budget for 2015,” he said.
