A Bragg Creek flood mitigation project has hit a speed bump.
According to Capital Projects manager Doug Hafichuk, who provided an update to Rocky View County (RVC) council Dec. 10, 2019, the project – part of a Government of Alberta initiative to protect Bow and Elbow River communities from future flooding – began in 2015, when the government committed $32.8 to fund the initiative.
“The funding was to help address two different stages – $16.8 million for the planning, design, land acquisition and regulatory components, and $16 million allocated for the construction and related engineering and contract administration,” he said.
While the first stage was completed within budget, he noted tendering of construction for the project resulted in an overrun of $9 million – initial cost estimates completed in 2015 did not include a bridge replacement on Bracken Road or several metres of bank armouring and flood barrier structures. As part of the grant agreement with the province, Hafichuk said, RVC has submitted a request for the additional funding.
The County has also received all regulatory approvals for the project. However, because of the timing of a Water Act approval, the earliest construction could commence is July 2020 due to the Restricted Activity Period (RAP). According to a Government of Alberta fact sheet, RAPs are “designated times of the year where instream work should be avoided to prevent impacts to fish during sensitive life stages such as migration, spawning, egg incubation and fry emergence.”
Hafichuk said administration had submitted an amendment to the Water Act approval to allow work to commence within the restricted activity period, but the amendment was not authorized.
Once funding is in place, he said, construction sequencing would be adjusted to start in areas outside the riverbed and shore until in-stream work is permissible.
“Meanwhile, the County is proceeding with some general site works, primarily built around site cleanup,” he said. “We have some house demolitions to do, and just some general grading. Residents can expect to see that happen imminently.”
Council unanimously accepted the update for information. Coun. Kevin Hanson was absent from the meeting.
