Opinion: Stopping the floods has barely begun

A truly progressive approach to mitigating flood risk would mean restoring the badly impaired forest landscapes that produce the water that drains into our rivers. Gavin Young / Calgary Herald

Opinion: Stopping the floods has barely begun

by Kevin Van Tighem, Wendy Francis, Stephen Legault and Katie Morrison, Calgary Herald, November 13, 2015

"...Repairing the scars and restoring the water retention capacity of our headwaters would not only mitigate flood risk basin wide, it would restore the vast, green, living reservoir that stores groundwater against future droughts. It would also restore and improve habitat for the threatened grizzly bear, bull trout and west slope cutthroat — and all of us who go into the foothills and mountains in search of stunning beauty, spiritual renewal and outdoor recreation...." 

Read article here: http://calgaryherald.com/…/opinion-stopping-the-floods-has-…

Kevin Van Tighem | Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative | CPAWS Southern Alberta | Castle-Crown Wilderness Coalition | RMB | Rocky Mountain Books

‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎elbowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬

ESRD to discuss future of Bow River boat launches

ESRD to discuss future of Bow River boat launches

We are pleased to confirm that officials from Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) will be attending our “Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night” on July 19, 2013.

They will be on hand to make an informal presentation, and will be taking questions, on the subject of the boat launches on the Bow River.

All the boat launches along the Bow River were damaged to some extent by our recent Alberta Flood 2013.

Some experienced lessor damage, most suffered damage ranging from severe to near catastrophic.

Please join us for this most interesting and timely topic.

Loop Canada & Simms Fishing Products support Alberta flood relief event

 

 LOOP Canada contributes to 'Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night'

We're pleased that Loop Canada has joined our list of sponsors/supporters with the generous donation of an item of value.

Thank you Loop Canada!

 

Simms Fishing Products on board for 'Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night' http://backcastfloodrelieffilmnight.eventbrite.ca/!

We're delighted (or super stoked, as some might say :-)) that Simms Fishing Products has joined our list of sponsors/supporters. And it's one cool offer they have!

Thank you Simms Fishing Products!

Peak flows in Calgary

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Peak flows in Calgary

Bow River Shuttles writes: "We received this very interesting email on June 25 from Mac Hickley of Calgary River Valleys. If you thought our recent flood was a once-in-a-lifetime 1:100 or 1:300 year event, think again."

Hello Friends of Calgary River Valleys,

I would like to respond to some comments and requests for information regarding the flood events of this past weekend.

The world's best flood-protection system

Photo, Calgary Herald/Canadian Press. Like it or not, Calgary has not only come to terms with its floodplain core and two flood-prone rivers, we've embraced that fact by building on it nevertheless.

The world's best flood-protection system

By Don Braid, Calgary Herald July 11, 2013

There’s a mighty wave coming in Alberta, but this time it’s political, not hydrological.

The backlash against rebuilding on floodplains is rising even before the government figures out how to do the job.

This springs not from lack of concern for flood victims (although some people are shockingly spiteful) but out of real worry over the potential spending.

Even flooded-out Calgarians share the concern.

Read article here: http://bit.ly/12v4dtt

Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night (Fly Shop Tix)

 

 

Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night 

 

Tickets:

At the door: $20 (cash only)
In Advance: $17 (online only, VISA/MC/AMEX)

CLICK THIS LINK for more info & online purchase: http://backcastfloodrelieffilmnight.eventbrite.ca/

Limited Number of DISCOUNT Tickets ($15 CASH ONLY) available at:

Fish Tales Fly Shop
Country Pleasures Fly Fishing
West Winds Fly Shop
Bow River Troutfitters
The Fishin' Hole Canada (Calgary)

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FLY SHOP

Limited seating

Don't be disappointed. Order your tickets today!

Scientists say fish loss could be significant

Photo, Calgary Herald. A trout lies washed up on Memorial Drive near the Peace Bridge last month. Provincial fisheries staffers and volunteers managed to rescue 5,000 stranded fish.

Scientists say fish loss could be significant

But habitat may improve in long term

Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald, Friday, July 12, 2013

As the flood waters started to recede in Calgary, dead fish were found along Memorial Drive and in other communities along the rivers. Others were stranded in small gravel pits and swales created by surging waters.

Teams of provincial fisheries staffers and volunteers worked for four days to return more than 5,000 fish from 60 sites to their homes in the Bow and Elbow rivers.

Read article here: http://bit.ly/1aAIqdR

Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night - Jul 19

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"Back Cast Flood Relief Benefit Film Night" 

This event will be an opportunity for local fly fishers to come together in support of fellow Albertans in the Bow River watershed who have been impacted by our Alberta Flood 2013. 

Net proceeds will be donated to The Calgary Foundation - Flood Rebuilding Fund.

http://www.thecalgaryfoundation.org/initiatives/flood-rebuilding-fund

Bring some extra coin! You might leave with more than you came with, thanks to our supporters and sponsors!

This special event will include the screening of several ‘blue ribbon’ fly fishing films.

Our evening will open with guest speaker

Brian Meagher, Provincial Biologist,
Trout Unlimited Canada - Bow River Chapter.
“Floods and Fish – Short-Term Loss, Long-Term Gain”

More information and ticket purchase here: http://backcastfloodrelieffilmnight.eventbrite.ca/

Returning to Rivers

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Returning to Rivers

from Calgary Outdoor Centre-University of Calgary

As the waters recede, basements start to dry and our communities begin to recover after the largest flood in memory, paddlers across the province are starting to get back on our rivers and waterways.

With roads closed and many bridges still out, the paddling community is left with large gaps in our knowledge of river runs that only weeks ago we knew like the backs of our paddles.

At Paddle Alberta we are looking forward to getting on the water and discovering these new changes, but before we do we are taking care to make sure that safety is our primary concern.

We urge all paddlers to return to the rivers when levels are safe, but to treat every run like it is your first time out. Expect big changes in the water province wide, even your local run could be very different from the last time you were out.

This is a time to collaborate and share knowledge. If you paddle in Alberta, please share any information you have on changes with Paddle Alberta, Alberta White Water Association, Paddling ABC and other organizations that can spread the news within our community. Take pictures, write notes and be safe.

Let’s return to the rivers with the knowledge we need to recreate, teach and learn the safest way we can.

Returning to the River,

Finlay MacNeill
Paddle and Cross Country Ski Programs Coordinator
The University of Calgary
Outdoor Center
Vice President Paddle Alberta

Bow River Flow Rates - Post Flood 2013

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Bow River Flow Rates - Post Flood 2013

The flow rate at 11:00 am today (Tues July 09, 2013) at Calgary was 309 cms.

It may have been wishful thinking, but we think we could see a little bit of the colour green, coming through the grey/light brown colour of recent days. 

In a recent report, Fish Tales Fly Shop writes:

"- In 2005 float trips resumed the first week of July with water levels between 220 and 295 cms (Calgary Station) and fishing was very good with some of the largest brown trout of the year caught.

- Similarly, in 2012 we experienced very high water during early July. All float trips were canceled until July 4th when we did our first float trips which turned out to be very good again with big brown trout being the highlight of those early days back on the river. At that point, the river was running at 323 cms (Calgary station).

We are putting this information out there to give people an idea of what we have to wait for, water level wise, in the coming days. Obviously safety continues to be the primary concern once the flooding is down. Once water levels drop we will make decisions about trips once our guides have been able to spend some days on the water exploring the “NEW” river. We will only start to float once it is safe to do so and access can be determined."

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1a9NrX2

It's foolish to think worst flood is behind us

Photo: John Gibson Getty Images. Houses damaged along the edge of Cougar Creek are shown in Canmore. Widespread flooding caused by torrential rains washed out bridges and roads prompting the evacuation of thousands

 It’s foolish to think worst flood is behind us

"Jerry Osborn says he and other university teachers of applied geology annually cite Canmore's Cougar Creek subdivision as one of the best examples in the world of inane mountain development"

By Jerry Osborn, Calgary Herald July 6, 2013

How big a flood does it take to inspire homeowners to plant signs protesting insurance-company policies, to generate arguments over whether the Stampede should proceed, and to produce such outpourings of community spirit that Herald columnist Kevin Brooker is almost euphoric about living in the flood zone?

In the case of the Elbow River, a pretty big one. In the case of the Bow River, a not-so-big one.

Read article here: http://bit.ly/12T2JgK

'Ode to the Bow' by Jim McLennan

 "Ode to the Bow" by Jim McLennan, McLennan Fly Fishing

Maclean's Magazine, Special Edition - The Great Alberta Flood - June 2013

'As a fly fisher with an enduring love for the Bow River - provider of trout and maker of memories - Jim McLennan is also optimistic it will recover from its most recent trauma, and return to its great and gentle self.'

Read Jim's article 'Ode to the Bow' in this special issue mag. We picked up our copy at our local Safeway magazine rack.

As The Waters Fall

 

Valdy's musical tribute to the unsung heroes and heroines of the Calgary floods

Country Pleasures, OnwardUp & Patagonia - Flood Relief

 

More information here

Calgary volunteers wade into flooded areas to rescue dozens of stranded fish

Photo, courtesy Jen Gerson/National Post. Alberta government teams use electrofishing to safely capture fish trapped by the receding flood waters of the nearby Bow River. They throw an anode that looks like an egg beater into the water in Bowness Park. An electric current is then sent through the water, which temporarily stuns the fish and forces them to move toward the boat. A second government scientist then catches the fish with a net and puts them in a tub where they're promptly transferred to the Bow River.

Calgary volunteers wade into flooded areas to rescue dozens of stranded fish

by Jen Gerson, National Post, July 01 2013

Wearing beige hip waders and baseball hats, Nicole Goerlitz and Gene Aquilini carry a blue plastic tub filled with about two dozen stunned freshwater fish, most of them no longer than the length of a hand.

Dipping the tub into the water, they slowly splash cold water from the still-too-fast Bow River. They grab the fish — mostly White Suckers — one by one, wake them up with a wiggle and watch as they make a mad dash for deeper, cooler waters.

“If I were here fishing and I caught one of these, I would be very unhappy,” said Ms. Goerlitz, a teacher. “But every fish counts.”

Read article here: http://bit.ly/15cfzYe

Kananaskis Closed Areas (including highways) July 03 2013

Click on map for larger image

Kananaskis Closed Areas (including highways) July 03 2013

More info here: http://bit.ly/13meMpK

Flooding causes mental damage, too

Two men use a fishing boat to rescue residents from a High River neighbourhood on June 20 after the town was completely evacuated. Photo, courtesy Global News.ca.

Flooding causes mental damage, too

By Karin Klassen, For the Calgary Herald July 1, 2013

The thing about floods, is that there are a lot of them. They are the most commonly occurring type of natural disaster, with expectations that with global warming, whatever the cause, there will be a trend in so-called flood events even in the relatively short term.

While this is not great news for anyone living in a flood plain or on a coast, it's been a field day for social scientists gathering the flotsam and jetsam of data. Rates of increase in anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, and how to avoid all of these issues after the water dries, has been the main focus of these studies. Included in the range of symptoms are disrupted sleep patterns, relationship issues, aggression, discrimination, alcohol use and "sucidal-ity."

Read story here: http://bit.ly/14oGyib

Access - Bow River boat launches - Flood 2013

Access - Bow River boat launches - Flood 2013 

We've been reporting on boat launch conditions with photos and a few video clips. However, it occurred to us that we've overlooked the issue of access to the launches. The short answer, at the time of this writing, is that there is no access. To any of them. 

Glenmore Trail/Graves Landing. 
All photos, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013. 
Click on photo for larger 1024 px size.

There is no gate to the Glenmore Trail/Graves Landing boat launch. However, the entire area surrounding the launch area has been closed. The street leading to the launch (Heritage Drive SE) is blocked. By red saw horse traffic barriers, and for good measure, by huge cement blocks.

22X/Fish Creek Park

There is a gate to the boat ramp at 22X/Fish Creek Park. And it's signed and locked.

Policeman's Flats

There is no gate to Policeman's Flats. There is also no road. And for that matter, one could argue there is no Policeman's Flats.

McKinnon Flats

The gate to McKinnon Flats is locked.

Legacy Island

There is no gate to Legacy Island. However, there are currently several obstacles in the way.

1. Big pile of silt blocking the road, as a result of the mainland land owner clearing the road to his cabin.
2. New silt and mud on the approach to the side channel.
3. A fast flowing side channel, last time we were there.
4. A number of large downed poplar trees blocking where the road used to be.
5. Can't see beyond the wood. Maybe other obstacles?

Carseland/Johnsons Island

The gate to Carseland boat launch is signed and locked.

Doesn't really matter. For the time being, the road/earthen dam leading to the boat launches on Johnsons Island has been washed out.

That new river channel is visible in the middle of this photo, just to the left of the green sign "Entering Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park".

Flood of 2013 is certain to alter city and the river

Calgarians have had a tense relationship with the Bow River ever since the city's earliest days - including 1915, when flooding damaged this wooden bridge. Photo, courtesy Matthew Evenden.

Flood of 2013 is certain to alter city and the river

By Matthew Evenden, Calgary Herald June 28, 2013

Floods upend the world we know, our habits and our homes. Things are taken away, foundations shift and the power goes out. Lives are lost. Many southern Albertans know about this in a visceral way that I do not. As the water begins to recede on the Bow River this week, however, many people understandably search for meaning. One way to do that is to think about flooding in historical perspective.

Although the 2013 flood will go down as the largest flood in living memory, with the widest social impacts, the Bow has risen throughout its history. Float a canoe east of Calgary and you pass high cut banks, dotted with holes for nesting birds, which reveal the outlines of past surges of water and sediment that carved the valley over centuries.

Read article here: http://bit.ly/19K5oLz

22X Fish Creek Park - Bow River boat launch - Flood 2013

All photos, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved.  
Click on photo for larger 1024 px image

NOTE: During the height of the flood (June 21/22), the water level was higher than the top of the bank, and covered part of the parking lot.

Photos 1 & 2: Boat ramp, facing downstream, approx south. The Hyw 22X bridge is in the distance.

Photos 3 & 4: Looking upstream, a couple hundred yards from the boat ramp. The tree on the left side of the photo is still underwater.