Last night at council, the RMWB announced several new programs being put into place for River Break Up this Spring.

 

 

From Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo:

 

Temporary flood mitigation plans in place

Temporary barriers, sandbag program roll out in March

 

(Fort McMurray, AB – February 10, 2021) – Details of the 2021 temporary flood mitigation program are being finalized.

 

In December, the Municipality went to market for temporary flood barriers. The successful vendor is providing Triple Dams to protect Longboat Landing, Ptarmigan Court and Taiga Nova, as well as portions of downtown and Waterways.

 

Triple Dams are flexible, water-filled flood barriers that are designed for uneven surfaces. The barriers will be installed starting in March. All barriers are tentatively scheduled to be installed by April 1.

 

The Triple Dams will be filled on-location and can freeze and thaw with the contours of the ground.

 

Triple Dams can be filled as high as 3.8 metres and as wide as 7 metres.

 

Costs for the Triple Dams are approximately $4 million, including installation, removal and storage in 2021.

 

Temporary clay berms

Temporary clay berms were built downtown, in Waterways and in Taiga Nova in 2020, costing approximately $1.6 million. Gaps in the berms that act as primary access points to trail systems will be closed by April 1.

 

Sandbag program

Administration is currently seeking a vendor to supply materials for up to 100,000 sandbags.

 

The intent of the program is to help property owners access sandbags as an additional defense, rather than be their only defense. Appropriate uses might include protecting door openings and window wells.

 

The sand and bags will be available to residents and businesses in the flood plain on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

The vendor will have a distribution location in Fort McMurray and a drop-off location will be established for used sandbags.

The program is tentatively scheduled to start in mid-March and run for approximately three weeks, or longer as required.

Sandbags must be properly filled and placed to provide an effective temporary barrier from flood waters. Information on how to fill and place sandbags will be provided at the distribution site. Even when properly placed, sandbags can fail.

 

Subsurface mitigation

Starting in April, three storm outfalls that lead to the river will be closed in Longboat Landing. After the closure, pumping equipment will draw out water as needed.

 

Manhole covers will be upgraded where required prior to river breakup.

 

Subsurface passages will be closed as needed to control water flow throughout the community.

 

The cost for temporary subsurface mitigation in 2021 is approximately $3 million, including engineering, planning, construction preparations, pumping and maintenance.

 

The cost for subsurface mitigation in future years is significantly reduced once all equipment is in place.

 

Draper flood mitigation

The municipal temporary flood mitigation program focuses on public property, but riverfront property in Draper is privately owned. Draper residents are encouraged to implement the measures necessary to mitigate flood risk against their private property, including the municipal sandbag program.

 

As an additional life safety precaution, there will be an egress from Draper in time for river breakup. Details will be announced once they are available.

 

Administration will be proposing a grant program for Council consideration at an upcoming public meeting, but this program will not be finalized in time for river breakup this year.

 

Ptarmigan Court

Triple Dams will be placed in Ptarmigan Court near Parkview Drive. Owners of recreational vehicles parked nearby on municipal land are asked to move them prior to February 28, 2021.

Filed under: Flood Mitigation