Mountain View County has taken the first step toward constructing a berm system that will protect downstream properties after the Red Deer River changed course in early summer.On Sept. 6, council directed administration to enter into negotiations with landowners to acquire land for the proposed berm, to be situated on the river's north bank between range roads 61 and 60.The estimated cost of the three-stage berm with armouring is $2.5 million, but two lower-priced options ñ one for $582,000, the other for $333,000 ñ were also presented at the meeting.Reeve Paddy Munro said the consulting firm hired by the county, Matrix Solutions, will not be able to recommend the preferred option until the land is field-surveyed.But in the meantime, Munro said, ìbefore freeze-up happens we have to secure the land. The landowners have been cooperative.îìI can't imagine the landowners wanting very much or anything for the land,î Div. 1 Coun Kevin Good said. ìWe're saving their land first and then the airport and Sundre.îSince the new channel broke out at the end of June, Munro has taken councillors, provincial politicians and media on his 14-ft. aluminium jet boat to tour the three-kilometre stretch which starts just below the Molmac subdivision.Good thanked Munro for the excursion and told him, ìYou've done a good job involving all aspects of the provincial government.îDiv. 4 Coun. Bruce Beattie said the ride down the new channel left a strong impression.ìTo see a river the size of that river form a perfectly new channel is quite an experience,î Beattie said.ìA severe event on this river will be a severe event for Sundre. It's amazing to me there isn't more concern from Sundre,î he added.Munro responded that Sundre mayor Annette Clews was out on the river during the July 1 weekend and was one of the first officials to see the new channel, while Sundre council was expected to go out later that week.ìI would really hope the Town of Sundre will be with usî when the county lobbies the province for funding, he said.ìThere is no doubt this is the province's river and they need to pay. But if they refuse to pay or get bogged down, we need to do something.îCAO Tony Martens concurred with councillors that it was too early to commit actual dollars for the berm ñ ìbut I agree we should start land negotiations,î he said. ìThe county is on borrowed time. That river can fan out from the breakout point.îThe file is expected to come back to council this week.
