MD applies to Province for emergency funding
Rain drains Rocky View budget
Enrique Massot
Heavy rain in May and June caused significant damage in the MD of Rocky View and councillors are questioning if development has affected natural drainage.
At a July 15 council meeting, staff submitted a report outlining damage resulting from this spring’s rain. Pumping rainwater and repairing infrastructure cost the MD almost $650,000 in out-of-budget expenses.
Byron Riemann, the MD’s manager of project delivery, said 200 mm of rain fell in the MD area in May and June. That amount of rain, he added, did not cause as much damage as 2005 when 250 mm fell in the month of June alone.
Councillors voiced concerns that development may have an impact on natural stormwater drainage.
Coun. Harvey Buckley asked whether the MD’s engineers communicate with planners to avoid developing in areas prone to flooding and Coun. Hopeton Louden asked whether historical land records are consulted before allowing developers to fill natural drainage courses and ponds.
Riemann said communication among MD departments is ensured by internal circulation of development proposals.
He added that staff is addressing areas such as Bearspaw by applying drainage plans recently commissioned, however it would take time to see positive results.
"Our prospective Bearspaw plan is a good plan—it just takes time," he said.
Implementation of the plan, however, depends on local residents’ acceptance of drainage courses running through their backyards, Riemann added.
Riemann also outlined some of the expenses incurred by the MD as a result of the spring’s heavy rains.
Pumping and hauling away water in several areas has cost more than $130,000, with Burma Road and West Meadows topping the list with $25,000 each.
"There was a lot of pumping in Bearspaw," he said.
Restoration work in the Bottrel campground topped the list of repairs with $85,000, followed by ditch repair work and water pumping in Dalroy at a cost of $75,000.
Repairs to Wintergreen Road in the Bragg Creek area will cost $55,000, while fixing Bracken Road and Upton’s approach in the same area will cost an additional $75,000.
The MD administration will submit a detailed list of the extra expenses to the provincial government in hopes to recover the expenses under a disaster recovery program.
Reeve Lois Habberfield said the May and June rainfall had been one of the largest since 1955 and said the municipality should strive to find a creative solution for stormwater.
"We need a reservoir to catch all that water," she said. "Get busy please."
More Headlines This Week ...
- Setbacks, building height rules requested >>
- Community projects get cash injection >>
- Provincial funding could help frustrated commuters >>
- Rancher’s Beef pipeline too costly, researchers say >>
- Developer demands road land compensation >>
- Rezoning decision final: MD council >>
- Local football players win silver at Canada Cup >>
