The proposed project would consist of an offstream storage reservoir, a diversion structure and channel, an offstream storage dam, outlet works, and road modifications. Calgarythe province says completion of the springbank offstream reservoir will be delayed at least one additional flood season to the end of. Dead storage allows sediments to settle, which improves water quality and also creates an area for fish during low levels. Why has government chosen springbank as the site for this flood mitigation project.
The springbank reservoir will work together with the glenmore reservoir, which has 10 million cubic metres of available flood storage, to achieve the level of protection required. The canadian environmental assessment agency ceaa has informed the government of alberta that the project conforms to the agencys guidelines. Appendix g springbank offstream storage project may 2014 cw2174 volume 4 flood mitigation measures appendix g rev 1. The government of alberta has decided to pursue an off stream reservoir in springbank to eliviate the risk of an elbow river flood like the one in june 20.
The springbank offstream reservoir is about 15 km west of calgary. Alberta ndp moves ahead with controversial springbank. Began in april 2016, completed in march 2017 3 distinct areas of study. Springbank reservoir plan devastating for landowners in. The proposed springbank offstream reservoir for the elbow river will save. A distribution reservoir is a small storage reservoir to tide over the peak demand of water for municipal water supply or irrigation.
The project will require 3,600 acres of farmland to be sold to the province. A artists rendering of the offstream reservoir project at springbank road. Springbank dam rehabilitation was initiated to ensure the safe operation of springbank dam. Springbank dam opponents bring concerns to information. Due to the nature of the springbank reservoir, federal and provincial regulations require the project proponent to conduct an environmental assessment. What they failed to do was give any consideration whatsoever to protect the upstream communities of bragg creek and redwood meadows. Springbank offstream storage reservoir project on vimeo. The federal government is inviting the public to comment on potential environment impacts of a proposed springbank offstream reservoir project. Studies in 2000 and 2002 recommended that the dam be rehabilitated to meet provincial dam safety requirements.
The video outlines the controversial springbank offstream storage reservoir flood mitigation project. Springbank reservoir 10 months behind schedule due to. The flood waters would be stored in a temporary reservoir before being diverted back into the river. Springbank offstream reservoir conceptual animation may. Canadian environmental assessment agency news release april 30, 2018 ottawa canadian environmental assessment agency the canadian environmental assessment agency the agency is conducting a federal environmental assessment for the proposed springbank offstream reservoir project, located 15 kilometres west of calgary, alberta. The reservoir is designed to mitigate downstream damage. In london, the thames river has been dammed in one form or another by a springbank dam from the 1870s through to 2005. The springbank dam and southeast reservoir are two costly. It is worth noting that mundaring weir no longer functions as simply a storage reservoir for rain. Alberta transportations springbank off stream reservoir. It was clear that these government of alberta officials did not have answers to the key questions surrounding this project. Key documents and resources on springbankoff stream reservoir.
The government to fairly compare the springbank offstream reservoir and mclean creek, including an updated costbenefit analysis that includes water storage at mclean creek. The pros and cons of building a springbank dry dam. Government of alberta i dont think they quite get the family history and ancestry, he says. Construction will require three years, with the reservoir being functionally operational at a reduced level after two years. Project disturbance area pda encompasses the project footprint and is the anticipated area of physical. Sr1 will temporarily divert up to 594 cubic meters per second of water from the elbow river to an offstream storage reservoir during extreme flood conditions and later release the excess water back into the river after the flood peak has passed. There has been opposition to the project from landowners. Springbank was determined to be the best choice over mclean creek because it. Active or live storage is the portion of the reservoir that can be used for flood control, power production, navigation, and downstream releases. In addition, a reservoirs flood control capacity is the amount of water it. Expansion of a pmus reservoir s possible functions list could include.
Rocky view county councillors vote to oppose controversial. Designed as a dry dam unless flood conditions are present, the springbank offstream reservoir will work in tandem with the glenmore reservoir in calgary, the ndp said in a statement. Anyone who has read even a fraction of the mounds of available information on the springbank project and alternative proposals, reaches the same conclusion that springbank is the only viable solution for flooding on the elbow river. Benefitcost analysis of flood mitigation projects for the. More information on this project is available on the canadian environmental assessment registry website, reference number 80123. Proposed springbank reservoir faces renewed, invigorated.
The springbank offstream reservoir sr1 project is a flood mitigation infrastructure to prevent the effects of future extreme flood events, and will be located adjacent to the elbow river 15 km west of calgary alberta. While the province awaits final regulatory approval, officials continue to do everything possible to prepare. The artificial lake would have nearly twice the storage capacity of folsom lake, making it the states seventh largest reservoir. Albertas springbank reservoir faces another delay due to. The county said the reservoir project would directly impact 87 residential homes on or near the reservoir.
Affected landowners want the reservoir located further to the northwest on public land in an area known as mclean creek. Greater urgency needed on new springbank reservoir to. Acknowledgement of the ongoing negative consequences of sr1 within our western communities. Associated links springbank offstream reservoir project canadian.
The springbank offstream reservoir will be approximately 15 kilometres west of calgary near springbank road, north of the elbow river and predominantly east of highway 22. Sri springbank offstream reservoir project perimeter project footprint impacted parcel. Publications about the springbank offstream reservoir. The springbank offstream reservoir project, to be completed in 2022, would be built upstream of calgary on the elbow river, west of the city. Video introducing the springbank offstream storage reservoir flood mitigation project. Construction of contentious springbank dry dam delayed 10. Together, the combined storage capacity would accommodate water volumes equal to the 20 flood. Albertas transportation minister says the province is committed to protecting calgary from another major flood by ensuring the springbank reservoir project moves forward. The reservoir has been approved to protect calgary from the kind of floodwaters that ravaged the city in 20. The original dam had been built to provide water power for pumping to a.
In general, table 1 shows that reservoirs needing no. Bragg creek springbank offstream flood storage and the mclean creek flood. The proposed project would consist of an offstream storage. Springbank dam project faces 10month delay calgary herald. Join the growing number of albertans demanding a flood mitigation solution we can all get behind.
Californias largest reservoir project in decades gets an. Benefitcost analysis of flood mitigation projects for the city of calgary. Water storage reservoirs water system standards page 1 of 4 rev. The springbank offstream reservoir will be located approximately 15 km west of calgary near springbank road, north of the elbow river and east of highway 22. Thanks to our drying climate, the supply in it is augmented by desalinated water. Progress made on springbank offstream reservoir project. One of those mitigation strategies is the springbank offstream storage project sr1.
Rocky view county council continues to ask the province for greater transparency on the springbank offstream storage reservoir project sr1. Springbank offstream reservoir sosr a flood water storage. A group of landowners and residents opposed to the springbank offstream reservoir aimed to make its concerns heard tuesday evening as members attended an open house to ask questions and submit. A benefitcost analysis of the springbank offstream reservoir was conducted using updated flood damage curves developed through the provincial flood damage assessment study. Some landowners west of calgary are fighting the provinces plan for a flood mitigation project in the springbank area. Springbank offstream reservoir project information. The thames has long been an important feature of life in london. The reservoir has a storage capacity equal to 28,000 olympic sized swimming. Springbank offstream reservoir conceptual animation august 2017. Ir4541 physical model study of the springbank offstream storage project diversion structure on. Springbank offstream reservoir project public comments.
Conceptual animation of the springbank offstream reservoir upstream of calgary along the elbow river. Note that increasing or decreasing fuel prices will have a direct impact on earth moving costs. Springbank reservoir project to move ahead the western. Province continues to collect feedback ahead of technical. Jerry arshinoff anna kessler, project manager for prairie and northern region of the canadian environmental assessment agency, advised comments must be submitted by july 25. A water project of its size has not been undertaken since jerry. Ottawa, april 30, 2018 cnw the canadian environmental assessment agency the agency is conducting a federal environmental assessment for the proposed springbank off. Sr1 springbank offstream reservoir perimeter map, springbank offstream reservoir\r\n created date.
Review of springbank offstream reservoir and maclean creek flood storage options. The upstream floodprevention construction on the elbow river at its confluence with mclean creek comes in second place, leaving upgrades to the glenmore reservoir in third place. Open houses planned for springbank reservoir project ctv. Mundaring weir is the storage reservoir at the start of the pipeline with mount charlotte nearly 600 km east the original storage reservoir at the end. For the latest updates on the springbank dam, please refer to the one river environmental assessment. The operation of the daudhan reservoir was simulated by assuming various values of the maximum storage. Located on the main branch of the thames river in southwest london, springbank dam was constructed at this site in 1929 to replace a dam located a short distance upstream east. Five years since the 20 flood, the calgary river communities action group says the time is now to move forward on the springbank offstream reservoir. Springbank offstream reservoir report december 2018. Springbank residents question provincial plans for. It was found that if the frl is kept at 288 m corresponding storage of. Springbank flood mitigation project call to action. The springbank reservoir will be located approximately 15 km west of calgary, a location that allows for.
The government had another proposal on the table that was upstream of these communities and this. Province appoints lawyer to evaluate albertas springbank reservoir project. Reservoir sedimentation most dams lead to a significant disturbance of the river sedimentbalance, as an important part of the incoming sediments is trapped. Earlier this month, county reeve greg boehlke wrote to premier rachel notley on behalf of council requesting a complete and thorough costbenefit analysis of the springbank proposal. It was determined that the springbank project comes under the jurisdiction of the. Calgary 660 news the tsuutina nation has decided to drop its objections to the springbank offstream reservoir sr1 project. Sr1 will temporarily divert up to 594 cubic meters per second of water from the elbow river to an offstream storage reservoir during extreme flood conditions. The sites offstream reservoir project is currently under study by the california department of water resources dwr, u. It is similar to a storage reservoir but is provided with large gated spillways and sluiceways to permit flexibility of operation. Bureau of reclamation bor, and local irrigation districts that make up the sites joint powers authority jpa. Largest lined reservoir in the country could change the future of water storage. The springbank offstream reservoir project is being planned for an area about 15 km west of calgary near springbank road and the province says it.
Reservoirsedimentation processes lead to loss of active storage, invoke damage to power stations and other facilities, and lead to upstream and downstream changes in morphology. County considers opposing springbank reservoir project. Together, the combined storage capacity would accommodate the excess water volume that caused the 20 flood. Springbank off stream the rapid eye movement calgary. Alberta cant risk another flood by delaying springbank. The springbank reservoir remains the wrong project at the wrong place for the wrong reasons. Springbank dam update may 2016 the future of springbank dam is in question. Appendix g conceptual design of the springbank offstream. The band, on the southwest outskirts of calgary, had initially raised concerns that the dry dam would negatively impact their land and people should there be a repeat of the 20 flood.
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