Alberta Government seeking feedback on options to mitigate the impacts of both flood and drought on the Bow River
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Alberta is now in Round 2 of engagement for Phase 2 of the Reservoir Options initiative and wants to hear from you. Bow River Reservoir Options engagement | Alberta.ca. Input will help the Province identify and assess the potential socio-economic, environmental, and other impacts of each option.
Take the questionnaire
The feasibility study is looking at 3 reservoir options in the Bow River basin, upstream of Calgary:
- Morley: A new reservoir between Seebe and Morley, on Stoney Nakoda Nations reserve lands
- Relocated Ghost Dam: An expansion of the existing Ghost Reservoir
- Glenbow East: A new reservoir between Cochrane and the Bearspaw Dam at the western edge of Calgary
Bow River Reservoir Options Initiative - Timeline (alberta.ca)
Round 1 Engagement Results
From June 16 to June 30, 2021, Albertans were invited to share their thoughts on the three options of the Bow River Reservoir initiative through an online survey and virtual open house.
Almost 900 comments were received from the end of the Phase 1: Conceptual Assessment (March 2020) to the end of Round 1 of the Phase 2: Feasibility Study (March 2023). Comments were similar to what was heard in Phase 1, but there were more comments about engineering, construction, water management and operations, and fewer comments related to protecting Calgary and Cochrane.
Overall, the most common feedback was:
-
Protect parks and the environment
-
Don’t impact homes and property
-
Further study is required on alternatives to building a dam
-
More direct engagement is needed with property owners
-
Water management and operations are important to consider
You can view the Round 1 What we heard report online. The report analyzes the data and insights gained from stakeholder and public feedback collected from May 2021 to March 2023. Indigenous engagement input is being shared directly with the community or organization that provided it.
The feasibility study continues to evaluate all three reservoir options. No option has been identified as a preferred option at this time. At the completion of the feasibility study, the Alberta government will consider the study findings when making a decision on if there is a preferred single option that should proceed to Phase 3: Engineering and Regulatory Approval Process.
Round 2 Engagement - Participate Today
The feasibility study continues to look at reservoir options in the Bow River basin upstream of Calgary.
Note: The Morley option is not ready for public engagement at this time.
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas is seeking feedback on the Bow River Reservoir Options initiative as part of the Phase 2: Feasibility Study. Your feedback will help the Alberta government assess options to mitigate the impacts of both flood and drought on the Bow River.
Take the Survey
Figure 1: The factors considered in the Option Evaluation Framework.
It may be helpful to visit the Virtual Information Centre (details below) and download and refer to the Option Evaluation Framework fact sheet while you complete the questionnaire.
Take the questionnaire.
Find out more and participate in this engagement by visiting The Virtual Information Centre. The questionnaire will be available 24/7 from April 15 through May 6, 2024. Mail outs have also been sent to Indigenous communities and organizations and property owners.
For more information visit Bow River Reservoir Options engagement | Alberta.ca
Subscribe for email updates from the province.
Posted in:
Events