Riverbank stabilization and critical erosion sites
Priority riverbank stabilization projects
After the 2013 Flood, more than 200 flood-related infrastructure projects requiring repairs or restoration work were identified and prioritized into critical, high, moderate and low-priority projects.
The priority list is based on ourTriple Bottom Line Policy, which accounts for social, environmental and economic costs and benefits for each project.
Read the original 2013 news release: Update on Riverbank Stabilizaton.
Current projects
- Montgomery Riverbank Stabilization project- starting Summer 2019
- Shouldice Riverbank Stabilization project - To be determined
- From July to end of September 2020, riverbank remediation work is happening along the Bow River west bank private lands, approximately 500 m downstream of the Glenmore Trail Bridge (Graves Bridge). This is a private (non-City) project. Work includes excavation and removal of buried debris and monitoring from a motor boat, which will be launched from the Graves Bridge boat ramp. High visible buoys with reflective tape will be used to alert rivers users to the work area.
Moderate and low-priority restoration projects
A number of sites are considered low-priority. These sites are being monitored as they may self-heal over time and do not need to be stabilized immediately.
Some of the challenges we face in restoring the riverbanks include balancing a number of elements including environment, fish habitat, flood inundation and infrastructure protection.
Other challenges include the locations of the repair work and getting regulatory approvals from the Province on certain projects.
It will likely take until 2019 to repair all of the damage created by the 2013 flood. We will continue working with the Province on longer-term funding strategies.
Outfall repairs
Outfalls and riverbanks along the Bow River, Elbow River, Fish Creek, Nose Creek and West Nose Creek were inspected for damage.
More than 200 outfalls along the rivers and creeks were identified as damaged and have been prioritized for repairs.
To learn more, visit Storm Drainage System Recovery.
Fish compensation
Some of these projects resulted in a loss of fish habitat based on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) fisheries act.
The City of Calgary is using a Fish Compensation Program to meet regulatory obligations to compensate for the loss of fish habitat due to the riverbank flood repairs and other related projects.