Calgary has finished constructing a new flood barrier along the Bow River to prevent future disasters like the one that struck thirteen years ago. The Sunnyside Flood Barrier, stretching 2.4 kilometers and costing $73 million over the last decade, was recently unveiled by city officials. This barrier is designed to safeguard Sunnyside and Hillhurst from a one-in-100-year flood, reducing Calgary’s overall flood risk by 70%, as stated by Michael Thompson, the city’s water utility chief operating officer.
The flood protection system includes permanent flood walls, sheet pile walls, and deployable flood protection systems. Additionally, the project incorporated new seating areas, enhanced pathways, and the planting of around 200 trees, with further landscaping work ongoing and expected to be completed by the end of October.
Local resident Christie Page, who was displaced from her home during the 2013 floods when her child was just one year old, commended the completion of the barrier. She expressed relief that Sunnyside is now better shielded compared to over a decade ago.
In response to the 2013 floods, Calgary and the province devised a comprehensive flood prevention strategy, aiming to enhance protections within and outside the city while minimizing disruptions to communities and the environment, noted Frank Frigo, the city’s manager of environmental management. Despite the progress made, Frigo emphasized that more efforts are required, with the replacement of the Ghost Reservoir being identified as the next crucial step to further mitigate flood risks and secure the city’s water supply.