Province announces upgrades to four dams and reservoirs south of Calgary

The province has announced upgrades to several dams and reservoirs downstream of Calgary, to protect southern Alberta communities from flooding.

$104-million will enhance the Little Bow Dam southeast of Vulcan, the Bassano Dam, and the Bullhorn and Taylor Coulee Wasteways.

Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Minister Robin Campbell says the province also continues to work on several projects upstream of Calgary.

“McLean Creek; we’re putting a dam in there and looking at a dry dam at Springbank; again looking at reducing the volume of flow in flood situations but, also understanding that if we can utilize that water at a later date we will be able to do that by being able to store it, which we are doing right now,” said Campbell.

The upgrades will increase the ability to spill excess floodwater from reservoirs to protect dams from erosion or washouts, which also reduces possible flood damage to downstream communities.

Campbell says if some of these projects had been in place before last summer, they would have been able to control the water from June’s flood.

The upgrades:

-Complete the combined emergency spillway and connecting canal at the Travers/Little Bow Dam southeast of Vulcan. Also, the Little Bow Dam will be raised and the irrigation outlet will be replaced.

-Construct a new, concrete emergency spillway at the Bassano Dam to replace the existing earthen emergency spillway. The Eastern Irrigation District owns the dam and will cost-share the project with the Alberta government.

-Replace the existing wooden emergency spillways at Taylor Coulee Wasteway and Bullhorn Wasteway near Cardston with larger, concrete spillways.

Click HERE for more information on the upgrades.

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