The Sundre-based Red Deer River Quality Control Committee is reforming in an effort to get the provincial government to move forward with flood mitigation efforts, says chairman Myron Thompson.
“Nothing has been done on the river,” said Thompson, a Sundre resident and sitting town councillor. “Nothing has moved forward so it is time we put the pressure on again to try and get something done.
Although the committee membership has not been set it will include Mountain View County councillors, Town of Sundre councillors, and members at large, including from Coal Camp west of Sundre, Coyote Creek, business owners, property owners and others, he said.
The original committee, which folded last year, was instrumental in getting the province to come up with money to build a series of berms on the Red Deer River in Sundre, barriers officials say helped prevent flooding in town in June 2013.
Asked what the updated committee would now like to see happen, Thompson replied: “I want to see protection against erosion. I want to see some berms built, some cleaning and maintenance on that river, gravel removed, dredging take place, debris cleaned up. There are a ton of things that need to happen or we're in serious trouble.
“Our objective is to encourage the province to consider us in its mitigation process. We've had flood practically every year since 2005. When you don't do anything it is only going to get worse.
Thompson said the updated committee could be up and running by early December.
“We haven't had our first meeting yet and we are going to wait until the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association meeting later this month,” he said.
“I want to try to see if any of us can connect with ministers regarding mitigation and see where we are at. After AUMA I will call the first meeting.”
In related news, Sundre officials have been given the go-ahead to conduct preliminary engineering and cost benefit assessments for a proposed flood mitigation project grant application.
Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) notified town officials in September that the preliminary information needed for a grant application under the 2013 Flood Recovery Erosion Control program would be funded to a limit of $50,000.
Town officials are seeking funding for management of the Red Deer River upstream and in town, which would include berm construction, dredging and/or scalping.
The project is one of two proposed by the town.
“No decision has been made on your priority project one (Red Deer River headwater management). We will be looking to have further discussions regarding the specifics of this project prior to a final decision,” reads a letter from Martin Foy, regional director with ESRD, received by the town in September.
In a report to council from Doug Wright, interim chief administrative officer, he says town staff are coordinating the project with Mountain View County.
- with files from Patricia Riley
