Mountain View County's policies and priorities committee has received and reviewed a report on potential flood resiliency projects that could be funded with money left over from the Flood Recovery Erosion Control (FREC) program.
The move came during the committee's recent regularly scheduled meeting.
Following the 2013 flooding of the Red Deer River, the county and the Town of Sundre applied for funding under the provincial FREC program to construct the remaining portions of the Red Deer River berm upstream of Sundre.
The county and town were successful in obtaining $3 million in FREC funding for the project.
After the Water Act application for the project was delayed due to concerns related to the potential impact of the enlarged berm on the Red Deer River hydraulics, the parties decided to withdraw the application.
In subsequent meetings with Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD), the parties were encouraged to investigate other flood resiliency projects that could be undertaken using the FREC program funds.
Representatives from the Town of Sundre, Mountain View County and Matrix Solutions met earlier to outline a number of potential projects, which include the following:
• Sundre airstrip drainage – utilize ditches and/or berms to better control the flood water flows around the airstrip and restrict the potential for water to flow overland towards the town of Sundre.
• Watershed boundary berm – construct a low-level berm along the hydraulic divide between the Bearberry Creek watershed and the Red Deer River watershed areas.
• Sundre berms – raise the height of the berms that are presently used to protect the town of Sundre and county.
• Bearberry Creek channel efficiency and protection – increase the armouring and natural protection along Bearberry Creek as it passes through the town of Sundre.
• Coal Camp – armour the Coal Camp settlement from potential erosion from the Red Deer River.
“This (option) was discussed by council on Sept. 24, 2014 and was submitted as a proposed project under the Alberta Community Resiliency Program,” CAO Tony Martens said in a briefing note to the committee. “This project has an estimated cost of $1,143,000 and has not received approval to date.”
• Flood preparedness and response planning – develop more advanced plans and procedures related to being ready for a flood and the resulting effects.
After reviewing the projects, the committee members instructed administration to gather more information on the Sundre airstrip, Sundre berms and flood preparedness and response planning options and to report back to the committee, said Coun. Patricia McKean.
