triumph in the face of disaster - the fl ood of 2013 flood mitigation 'We have to get this right' By PEGGY REVELL
Berms, dykes, storm backfl ow prevention, erosion protection and more — it’s all on the list of the three-year fl ood mitigation plan that the City of Medicine Hat now has underway for fl ood mitigation, which could cost an upwards of $41 million by the time everything is completed.
“Bureaucrats come and go, politicians come and go, but one thing for certain is this flood plan has to come and
stay and work,” said City Councillor Robert Dumanowski, chair the city's development and infrastructure committee. “There are no ifs, ands or buts about this, we have to ensure that this flood mitigation plan is going to be fool proof, money well spent and truly going to be the safety net we’re all looking for in Medicine Hat.”
Understandably people want all the measures put into quickly — some even in less than a year. Dumanowksi stressed that it will take the three years to make sure it’s done right.
While the City is taking the lead in flood
Keeping Western Canada on Track Since 1957
mitigation measures, they also have to work cooperatively with the provincial government, their engineers and expertise, Dumanowski explained. For example, flood mitigation projects being done upstream by the province will have an impact on the flow, elevation and speed of water converging on Medicine Hat — meaning working with the province on modelling and gathering information is vital.
“We have to get this right. Yes we’re in a hurry, it’s ready set run for me, but we have to know what direction we’re running in,” Dumanowski said. “Quite frankly it could be more devastating if we don’t get this right.”
The province has already agreed to pay for $14 million of mitigation measures so far, while the City is seeking additional funds from the province.
Unlike homes or facilities where items may be cut to ensure a budget is hit, Dumanowksi said no corners will be cut.
In fact, once they hit the ceiling they feel will adequately deal with any possible flood waters, they want to go above and beyond that by at least
Councillor Robert Dumanowski
“In other words, we truly want to make this flood mitigation plan, but a flood- proof plan.
This means that every piece of the plan is critical, he said.
“One without the other doesn’t work. There is not one piece that is more or less important than the other,” he said.
In some ways this has already stirred up controversy, he said, as some homeowners see projects like berms being an eyesore and devaluing property.
“In order to prepare a flood mitigation plan .... we have to put the berms where we the engineers tell us, or else this isn’t going to work,” he said. “This is an all or none scenario ... this is about protecting a community now and into the future.”
www.rosenau.ca 403-548-6704
62 2014 REPORT ON SOUTHEAST ALBERTA
41139754•03/25/14
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112