Drowning in money: the untold story of the crazy public spending that makes flooding inevitable

‘Vast amounts of public money are spent every year on policies that make devastating floods inevitable.' Illustration by Daniel Pudles Daniel Pudles/Guardian

When will we ever learn... ?

Back in early December, 'Storm Desmond' swamped north-west England as well as parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and southern Scotland. Honister in Cumbria recording 13.4 inches of rain in 24 hours, the most rain to ever fall over a 24 hour period. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35023558

Locals are wondering why the multimillion-pound defences that were built following floods in 2005 are failing to keep the deluge out from people's homes.

Turns out the cause of their problem is upstream, the result of clearcutting the hills, and digging drainage ditches, for sheep farming!

Our recent floods in Calgary and southern Alberta were exacerbated by similar problems in our Bow River watershed - clearcutting for lumber, damage from ATV use, killing all the beavers, etc.

And Calgarians are being led to believe that the current upgrades to berms and dikes, plus the proposed Springbank dry dam, will protect us from the next 'big one'. 

Seems we never learn...

Drowning in money: the untold story of the crazy public spending that makes flooding inevitable

George Monbiot, The Guardian

We all know what's gone wrong, or we think we do: not enough spending on flood defences. It's true that the government's cuts have exposed thousands of homes to greater risk, and that the cuts will become more dangerous as climate change kicks in. But too little public spending is a small part of the problem. It is dwarfed by another factor, which has been overlooked in discussions in the media and statements by the government: too much public spending.

Read more here:  http://www.theguardian.com/…/flooding-public-spending-brita…

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

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.…

A million trees to stand guard against flood

A million trees to stand guard against flood

by Dylan Robertson, Calgary Herald,Thursday, June 19, 2014

An Alberta farming couple is leading an effort to improve the Bow River watershed by planting a million trees within 100 kilometres of downtown Calgary. With city approval and crowdfunding support, the campaign kicked off Wednesday at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area.

Brad Rabiey and his wife, Rebecca, who run The Carbon Farmer, a company that plants native trees in previously cleared lands while helping businesses shrink their carbon footprint, spoke to the Herald's Dylan Robertson about the project.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/TGvbRI

Montana’s deadly flood a lesson Calgary chose to ignore

Streets in Choteau, Mont., turned into waterfalls during the 1964 flood. More than 30 people died when rivers raged in a storm eerily similar to the one in Alberta in June 2013. Photo, courtesy Great Falls Tribune

Bow River Shuttles writes: "If you read only one article this month on the proposed flood diversion structures for the Elbow and Bow Rivers, make it this one."

Montana’s deadly flood a lesson Calgary chose to ignore

By Matt McClure, Calgary Herald June 16, 2014

".....In the immediate aftermath of the 2013 floods in Alberta, then environment minister Diana McQueen would remark that “no report or recommendations looking at the lessons of the past could have prepared us for this event.”

But the historical record clearly shows that over the years engineering experts had called time and again for restrictions on development in vulnerable, low-lying areas of Calgary in an effort to limit damages from the inevitable disaster.

Archival documents also show that in the face of stiff opposition from residents of riverside neighbourhoods who feared those curbs would cause property values to plummet, civic and provincial politicians balked at banning further building in the flood plain....."

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

Beavers act as 'ecosystem engineers' in Alberta (video)

Photograph by: Crystal Schick, Calgary Herald

Beavers act as 'ecosystem engineers' in Alberta (video)

Greg Shyba and Lorne Fitch discuss the importance of beavers at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area (ASCCA) located just southwest of Calgary, on May 15. The 4,800 acres of rolling foothills land was donated by Ann and Sandy Cross for the protection of wildlife habitat, such as beavers, and conservation education.

Watch video here:  http://bit.ly/SCyjO1

Experts say building dams and diversion channels not the best way to deal with floods

Scientists and conservationists would like to see more focus on natural solutions to floods and droughts, suggesting the proposed McLean Creek dry dam could further degrade a sensitive headwaters area. Rendering courtesy Government of Alberta

Experts say building dams and diversion channels not the best way to deal with floods

By Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald May 6, 2014

Scientists and conservationists say the province needs to put more focus on avoiding floods rather than spending millions on infrastructure that could further damage the landscape and increase the future risk of both floods and droughts.

On Thursday evening, University of Saskatchewan hydrologists Paul Whitfield and John Pomeroy gave a presentation at the Whyte Museum in Banff on the science behind the 2013 flood.

“Alberta needs to rely much more on avoidance,” Pomeroy said in an interview Friday.

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

Ironies and issues float to surface after great flood

Jerry Osborn. Photo, courtesy Calgary Herald

Ironies and issues float to surface after great flood

By Jerry Osborn and Cathy Ryan, Calgary Herald May 1, 2014

Bow River Shuttles writes: "This is the best article we've seen to date on the subject of our 2013 Flood."

Just as floods are inevitable, so too is the pattern of the aftermath. Complaints against insurance companies, complaints against the government, folks wanting to be considered to be on the floodway (so they can get bought out), folks wanting to be considered to be off the floodway (so they can stay put), general resistance to floodplain regulation, pressure to solve problems with engineering solutions, accrual of political capital by quick action on highly visible projects — these stories have played out many times in North America.

In the Calgary case, a few ironies emerge:

Read story here: http://bit.ly/1o156K3

Province inches ahead on major flood mitigation projects

(Click on image for larger version) The proposed McLean Creek dry dam, shown in an artist’s rendering, would help control flow rates on the Elbow River during flood conditions.

Province inches ahead on major flood mitigation projects

by Matt McClure, Calgary Herald April 29, 2014

... Many of the dry dams on the Elbow River upstream of Calgary proposed by a citizen’s advisory panel last fall have been dismissed because of their environmental or financial cost, but provincial consultants have found two projects they believe may be worth considering.

One is a 50-metre-high structure that would be built southwest of Bragg Creek that would have a storage capacity of 49 million cubic metres, and the other is an off-stream reservoir near Springbank Road west of Calgary that would hold 59 million cubic metres...

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

Watch it live!!

Watch it live!!

Alberta's Watershed Management Symposium: Flood and Drought Mitigation

This public symposium covers Alberta's progress to improve its flood and drought resiliency, including the role of natural solutions.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014
BMO Centre, Hall D
20 Roundup Way, Calgary

Watch it live

This event will be webcast. Viewers can visit this page on April 29 to access the live stream. Times below reflect Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-6h).

Live stream here: http://alberta.ca/flood-symposium.cfm

Flood report suggests relocation less costly than mitigation

A report submitted to the province by Alberta WaterSmart studied the trade offs of various flood mitigation options on the river systems. It shows relocation of property and restoration of natural river systems are the most effective options. Photo, Ted Rhodes, Calgary Herald

Flood report suggests relocation less costly than mitigation

By Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald April 14, 2014

The 2013 flood left five people dead and destroyed property, but a new report says mitigation measures being debated to protect against future flooding would have severe consequences for other communities and the environment.

Called the Bow Basin Flood Mitigation and Watershed Management Project, the report by Alberta WaterSmart studied the trade offs of various flood mitigation options on the river systems.

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

Flood Control Structures Considered for Kananaskis Country

Source: Alberta Flood Recovery Task Force

Flood Control Structures Considered for Kananaskis Country

by Tony Daffern on November 17, 2013

Kevin Van Tighem writes: "Great posting on the proposed "dry dam" on the Elbow River, by Tony Daffern. This dam is perhaps the stupidest and most dangerous idea to come out of the engineers proposing flood mitigation. It will cost hundreds of millions of our dollars, destroy habitat for bull trout, cutthoat trout, elk and other species, look ugly as sin....and increase the risk of future catastrophic flooding. Other than that it's ok."

Read blog post here: http://kananaskisblog.com/flood-control/2013/

Editorial: Flood of ideas

Photo, Ted Rhodes, Calgary Herald

Editorial: Flood of ideas  

Alberta’s regional plan shouldn’t overlook watersheds 

Calgary Herald, December 27, 2013 

Read editorial here: http://bit.ly/1eiRYbb

Kevin Van Tighem writes in response to this editorial:

"A quick email to bev.yee@gov.ab.ca supporting more protection measures in the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan would be a great way to help bring in a new year...and a new era of respect for our headwaters.

Let's replace clearcutting with canopy-retention logging, institute a zero-harvest trapping quota on beavers whose work creates water-storing and flood-slowing wetlands, permit off-road vehicles only on properly maintained trails, and set aside the Castle drainage and other key water-producing areas in the mountains and foothills as wildland parks."

Alison’s Aqueduct is a tricky proposition

The premier’s expert panel on flood mitigation has proposed an underground pipeline to divert flood water from Calgary.
Photograph by: Ted Rhodes , Calgary Herald

Alison’s Aqueduct is a tricky proposition

By Don Braid, Calgary Herald October 8, 2013

Someday we might call it Alison’s Aqueduct — the giant drain proposed to carry flood water from the Glenmore Reservoir to spill out into the Bow River.

The early plan is for a pipe that punches through bedrock 60 metres down. It would run out of the reservoir, under the Elbow River below the dam, past Chinook Centre, under Blackfoot Trail and the Deerfoot, and into the Bow River north of Glenmore Trail.

No kidding. Mayor Naheed Nenshi wasn’t stretching much when he said it sounds almost like “science fiction.”

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

Province unveils flood-proof plan

Province unveils flood-proof plan

Proposed fixes could cost up to $830M

by James Wood, Calgary Herald, Sat Oct 5 2013.

A "very large storm sewer' running under Calgary and a lengthy diversion ditch near High River are key components of a flood-proofing package proposed to prevent a repeat of June's disaster.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/GV2cCY