The eight spurs built in the Red Deer River last year to help mitigate flooding in Sundre are working well, say town officials.
The 10- to 75-metre long rock structures deflect the flow of water off the shore and were part of a $2.4-million project to help prevent erosion and flooding in Sundre.
Town officials had been seeking a way to help prevent overland flooding in Sundre since the flood in 2005.
The span of the spurs covers approximately 800 metres along the river and they have wintered well, said Ron Baker, the town's director of operations.
“I am impressed. It looks good,” said Baker last Thursday, as he stood on one of the spurs in the Red Deer River bed near its west bank by Riverside RV Park.
Baker said the debris is building up as it should, there has been no erosion and he is extremely happy with how the spurs are working.
Grass is growing back efficiently in areas along the river where the 14,000 tonnes of class one and class three riprap rocks were stored, which damaged the grass at the time.
“This is what I like to see,” said Baker, as he drove past the grass-growing areas.
The project was nearing completion around this time last year. However, there is still part of the project left for town officials to complete.
Increasing fish habitat elsewhere to make up for the loss of habitat caused by last year's intrusion of construction in the river is part of the deal, he said.
Town officials have reserved $100,000 of the $2.4 million allocated for the project. This portion of the funds is completely funded through a grant from the province.
Town officials are looking to fix culverts in creeks around town because they restrict the distance that fish can travel.
Baker will be proposing the plan to Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials in upcoming weeks and plans for the project to be completed this year.
