The County has a new tool in its belt.
The Bragg Creek Master Drainage Plan (BCMDP), completed by MPE Engineering, provides guidance and recommendations for how stormwater should be dealt with in areas of future growth.
The Drainage Plan covers more than 12,000 acres in the Bragg Creek area, most of which is situated in the Elbow River sub-basin. About 26 per cent of the land in the area has been subdivided for low-density residential development.
ìIt allows us to only accept developments that are doing their part to not flood out other people,î said Councillor Al Sacuta. ìWe are trying to figure how to handle stormwater before we end up with a lot of development out there.î
Councillors directed staff to implement the Drainage Plan into the Bragg Creek Area Structure Plan, which was adopted by council in February 2007.
The study took into consideration the regionís topography and the importance of the environment and provides practical guidance for the County and developers. It also identified developable sites and provided a map of the areaís wetlands and streams.
The BCMDP states the stormwater system should be designed to handle an average peak development flow rate of six litres per second per hectare downstream. Runoff volumes should not exceed predevelopment runoff volumes to protect wetlands and riparian areas.
The study recommended using constructed wetlands and low impact development (LID), including incorporating bioswales and rain gardens for the hamlet, as ways to handle the volume and flow rate of water.
The study states the County should have a stake in communal infrastructure in the area; develop policies and procedures to ensure LID is installed and maintained; and provide guidance on design, installation and maintenance of LID practices on private lots. It also suggested the County develop strategies to manage existing drainage issues and do a periodic review to assess condition and structural adequacy of existing infrastructure.
ìThere are a lot of policies the County needs to work through,î said David Seeliger, MPE spokesman. ìHaving good guidanceÖ is one of the key things.î
Sacuta said having a plan in place will help the County avoid the drainage problems it has in other parts of Rocky View, such as Bearspaw.
ìThis is the first step towards getting this formal plan,î he said. ìThat is where we are heading here.î
