Province says Springbank Dam is best option environmentally and financially

It’s the major plan to prevent massive flooding in Calgary going forward, and now a provincial assessment of the Springbank Dam says it’s the best option financially and environmentally.

The reservoir would divert rising water from the Elbow River to prevent high waters in the city, but the project has faced a lot of scrutiny from some of the 22 landowners who worry about being forced to sell their land and potential environmental effects.

Negotiations will continue with that group, but the assessment has determined there will be little problems posed to the area.

“Nothing that can’t be mitigated,” said Provincial Environmental Coordinator Mark Svenson about the assessment, which was done by the provincial government and Stantec. “Environmental impacts of this project is minimal.”

The assessment looked at everything from wildlife, to air quality, to hydrology and more.

The study says the reservoir would be $30 million cheaper than the McLean Creek project, which many opponents want, and it would impact three times fewer wetlands.

Adam Johnson with Alberta Transportation said provincial and federal regulators will now review it.

“If what we have found meets what the review is, and following that we would hope we would have the confidence of the public moving forward.”

Johnson says negotiations have been complete with some landowners, but talks are ongoing with the others.

Meanwhile, the Tsuut’ina Nation has responded to the assessment.

In an open letter to Transportation Minister Brian Mason, Chief Lee Crowchild said the review isn’t truly independent.

He said that’s because Stantec, the firm that helped conduct it, will also be the managing engineer.

The nation disapproves of the project, and Crowchild said he has written to the federal government to intervene.

If all goes to schedule, the first stage of the dam will be done by 2020, with the goal of it being fully finished by 2021.