Flood mitigation: Springbank reservoir selected to protect Calgary

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, standing next to Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips, speaks to reporters about the planned Springbank reservoir flood-mitigation project. (Evelyne Asselin/CBC)

Flood mitigation: Springbank reservoir selected to protect Calgary

Environment Minister Shannon Phillips joined Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi to announce the project

via CBC News, October 26, 2015

Alberta will build a major reservoir in Springbank to protect Calgary from Elbow River flooding, the province has announced.

The move is sure to upset area landowners opposed to the project, but was welcomed by Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Read more here:  http://www.cbc.ca/…/flood-diversion-plan-phillips-nenshi-1.…

Catching more than a fish on the mighty Bow

Getting out on the river gives a new perspective on its power.
Photo, courtesy Colleen De Neve / Calgary Herald

Catching more than a fish on the mighty Bow

by Jennifer Allford, June 1, 2015

Most of us see the Bow River every day, often while stuck on a bridge in rush hour. The river is a traffic bottleneck and the line between north people and those people in the south who don’t understand which lane to get in heading up Crowchild.

Two years ago this month, the Bow burst its banks. And this time of year the thousands who were flooded and the thousands more who helped them recover are inclined to give the river a wary eye.

Which is why you should go fishing.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1I2urOe

Conservationist urges province to ‘work with nature’ to reduce flooding

Renowned conservationist Harvey Locke says if more work is done to protect the headwaters of rivers west of Calgary and High River, southern Alberta would have “a lot less of a flood problem.”
Photograph by: Bruce Masterman

Conservationist urges province to ‘work with nature’ to reduce flooding

By Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald March 14, 2014

As Alberta works to protect against future flooding, a well-known conservationist says the province needs to start thinking about what nature needs.

Harvey Locke, who won the prestigious Harkin Award for his lifetime commitment to conservation last year, will speak Friday night at Wild Soiree: Nature Needs Half event, hosted by CPAWS Southern Alberta (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society) in Calgary.

“We have some pretty serious examples of not living with nature’s needs in mind,” Locke said in an interview. “If we protected the headwaters of the rivers west of Calgary and High River, we would have a lot less of a flood problem.

“Let’s work with nature instead of against nature.”

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1iL3Lpd

Bow River fishing industry lacks local support

Bow River fishing industry lacks local support

Ryan White, CTV Calgary, Published Thursday, August 22, 2013.

Fishing guides on the Bow River say the majority of this summer’s clients are coming from out of province, a departure from year’s past.

The Bow River contributes millions of dollars to the city's economy but guides say misinformation about the dangers the river presents has scared Calgarians away from fishing the Bow.

Read text and watch video news story here: http://bit.ly/19MSHn9

Alberta Flood Aid Benefit Concert

Alberta Flood Aid Benefit Concert

MISSED THE CONCERT?

No problem! Watch it here on the Telus YouTube Channel

Crews begin ‘scalping’ debris from Highwood River

Jeff Gaulin of Tervita provided an update as the company’s heavy equipment was busy Wednesday along the banks of the Highwood River, scalping the waterway back to the state it was before the June flooding.

Photograph by: Colleen De Neve , Calgary Herald

Crews begin ‘scalping’ debris from Highwood River

Goal is to restore waterway to normal

By Erika Stark, Calgary Herald August 15, 2013

HIGH RIVER — Gravel, silt and debris are being scraped away from the banks of the Highwood River in an effort to return the waterway to its pre-flood capacity levels.

Roughly 16,000 cubic metres of material will be removed, or “scalped,” from one of six riverbank sites within High River by the end of the week, according to Tervita, the company in charge of remediation in the town.

Read story here: http://bit.ly/13Be7Rh

Today along the Bow River - August 2013

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

Guerrilla launch along the Bow

‪#‎bowriver‬ ‪#‎flyfishing‬

High today 27 °C, scattered clouds, wind avg 13, max 32.

Bow River flow 140 cms.

Legacy to Re-open!

Michelle and equipment near the side channel crossing to Legacy Island earlier today. 
Photo, copyright Bow River Shuttles, All rights reserved.

Legacy to Re-open!

The Bow River Chapter would like to announce that the work has been completed to a standard that would allow access to Legacy Island starting Saturday - August 17th!

Please note that the island is "Use at Own Risk" and that as the access area is not fully consolidated we request that people use only 4X4's for the time being!

Also work is not completed so please remain on the managed roads only!

If people start to circumvent the berms, the chapter may look to close the island again until proper barricades can be installed to keep people on maintained roads only.

Thank you,

Bow River Chapter - Trout Unlimited Canada

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild - Glenmore Tr

All photos, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights resrved

Eastbound Heritage Drive at Heritage Meadows Road SE opened at 5:00 am this morning.

The Glenmore Trail/Graves Landing boat launch parking lots can't be far behind!

Paving of the entrance to the main parking lot was happening this morning. They also had two bobcats and a roller working on the parking lot itself.

The overflow parking lot still has old gravel and debris to be removed.

Today along the Bow River - August 2013

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

‪#‎bowriver‬ ‪#‎flyfishing‬

High today 29 °C, partly cloudy, wind avg 9, max 26.

Bow River flow 134 cms.

Alberta Flood Aid Benefit Concert 2013 - Aug 15

Alberta Flood Aid Benefit Concert 2013 - Aug 15

In June 2013, southern Alberta experienced heavy rainfall that triggered catastrophic flooding described by the provincial government as the worst in Alberta’s history. A total of 27 local states of emergency and dozens of communities were under evacuation orders.

Over 100,000 people were displaced as a result of the flooding and early damage estimates are several billion dollars.

Alberta Flood Aid was established in late June to raise funds for long-term recovery efforts through a benefit concert. The Calgary Foundation then offered to direct donations to The Calgary Foundation Flood Rebuilding Fund to ensure 100% of funds raised go to those most in need.

More info here: http://abfloodaid.ca/

Calgary Flood Relief Concert Hopes To Raise More Than $1 Million For Fund. By Huffington Post/The Canadian Press Aug 13 2013

Read article and view 137 photos here: http://huff.to/1czBpuO

Flood Aid concert nearing sellout. By Michael Franklin, CTV Calgary, August 13, 2013

Read article and view video news story here: http://bit.ly/16IESA2

The 2013 Great Flood: Actions to Mitigate, Manage, and Control Future Floods

The 2013 Great Flood: Actions to Mitigate, Manage, and Control Future Floods

Alberta WaterPortal

A final copy of The 2013 Great Alberta Flood: Actions to Mitigate, Manage and Control Future Floods whitepaper has been released.

This document consists of collaborative recommendations made by Canada’s leading water experts.

The document has been evolving for over a month thanks to the received feedback from water experts and Albertans.

This document was written as a collaborative teamwork to determine the recommended actions that should be taken to strategize for future flooding.

Read document here: http://bit.ly/13GopO4

http://www.albertawater.com/
http://albertawatersmart.com/

Watch: Halo High Water benefit concert

The Halo High Water concert brought together some of Canada’s most talented actors and musicians in an effort to raise money for Alberta Flood Relief. 

Watch the full concert here.

Halo High Water Benefit Concert (Calgary) - Aug 04

Halo High Water Benefit Concert (Calgary) - Aug 04

Help support Alberta Flood Relief.

http://www.halohighwater.ca/

Proceeds from the Halo High Water Benefit Concert and donations will be directed to the Flood Rebuilding Fund at The Calgary Foundation which is focusing on the long-term community needs related to the devastating flooding that turned thriving communities into disaster zones.

If you missed your chance to buy tickets to the Halo High Water Benefit Concert - don't fret! Global Calgary will be airing uninterrupted coverage of the concert tomorrow from 7 - 9 p.m. More details here: http://ow.ly/nA7wd

Tom Jackson thrilled to be organizing Halo High Water flood benefit concert

By Mike Bell, Calgary Herald July 31, 2013

Read article here: http://bit.ly/12QgSOj

Legacy Island - Update Meeting (Aug 6)

Debris blocking access to Legacy. Photo, copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved

Legacy Island - Update Meeting

The Bow River Chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada leases and controls access to the Legacy Island boat launch. The chapter, in conjunction with Trout Unlimited Canada, has been working to gather the necessary permits to improve the Legacy Island Boat Launch area.

Like many launch points on the Bow River, Legacy Island was impacted by recent flooding. The Bow River Chapter and Trout Unlimited Canada, in lieu of the flood, have been working hard to obtain the necessary permits to facilitate the work to restore the Legacy Island launch. This process is complex but it is nearing completion.

In order to expedite and control the Legacy Island restoration process the Bow River Chapter and TUC will be holding a Legacy Island Issues Meeting to discuss the process of re-opening access to Legacy Island.

When: Tuesday August 6, 2013, 7pm
Where: TUC head office, #160 6712 Fisher Street S.E. Calgary.

Issues including timing, permits, funding, contracting and what members and volunteers can assist with will be discussed.

Until the necessary permits are in place the Bow River Chapter and TUC are asking people not to engage in any restoration activities and should consider access to Legacy Island temporarily closed.

For any additional information please contact Brian Meagher, Alberta Biologist via email or phone, (403) 209-5185.

Brad Stelfox - "Living at the River's Edge"

Bow River Shuttles writes: Brad Stelfox, Landscape Ecologist, ALCES Group, will be one of several speakers featured at the upcoming 'Conservation Symposium', which is part of the Canadian National Fly Fishing Championships & Conservation Symposium in Calgary in September 2013. In this article, he reflects on our recent 2013 Flood.

"During the extended periods of time, often measured in multiple decades, that occurs between flood events, it is all too easy for generations living in the “gentle times” to forget the lessons learned by past flood survivors. 

Societies in general, and governments specifically, have a responsibility to remember these lessons, and to build policies and infrastructure that intelligently reflect the force and destructive potential of natural systems."

Read article here: http://bit.ly/13u0hhw

Today along the Bow River - August 01 2013

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

Flood 2013 carnage in the background.

‪#‎bowriver‬ ‪#‎flyfishing‬

High today 20 °C, mostly cloudy, wind avg 9, max 17.

Bow River flow 180 cms.

Banff bears get easy access to fish after flooding

A grizzly bear looks for fish in Banff National Park.
Photo by Mike Grande/Parks Canada

Banff bears get easy access to fish after flooding

Area closure in place along Cascade River

By Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald July 29, 2013

Bears in Banff National Park often fill up on buffaloberries in the summer, but this year’s floods have left another easy food source: fish.

Between June 19 and 22, parts of the park experienced major flooding after significant rainfall over a short period. It required TransAlta to open the spillway on the Lake Minnewanka dam, displacing fish in pools and side channels along the Cascade River.
 
Read story here: http://bit.ly/11q5ndA

Carseland/Johnson's Island Boat Launch - Rebuild Update

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

Bow River Shuttles writes: "The above photo, from our visit to the site last week, shows the 'plug' being replaced in the channel on river-left of Johnson's Island"

Trout Unlimited Canada writes:

"During the recent flooding in SW Alberta the Carseland area blowout was a result of an engineered 'plug' on the north side of the channel that was designed to fail to ensure that the weir was not lost in a large scale flood. 

When the blow out occurred it also took out the road and the access to the boat launches. The “plug” currently is in the process of being replaced. 

At the recent Back Cast Fly Fishing Film Festival held to raise funds for flood relief efforts the AESRD spoke to the audience about the Carseland Weir project. 

For more information please visit the Newsroom on Trout Unlimited Canada's website."

‪#‎BowRiver‬ ‪#‎BackCastFlyFishingFilmFestival‬ ‪#‎BowRiverShuttles‬