Water management town halls

By Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean Times Contributor

The Bow River Water Management Project completed this spring and recommendations for a collaborative approach to address both flooding and drought were presented to the Alberta government this spring.
In Wheatland County, special attention was given to the canal system as both a potential run-off and a potential to expand the system to increase access for irrigation.
Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Parks, Jason Nixon, will be holding three town halls in October to discuss the reservoir options with community members.
“Flood resilience remains a top priority for the government and the residents of Calgary and many communities in southern Alberta,” Nixon said.
The three options for a new reservoir include either building a new reservoir near Morley, between Horseshoe Dam and Ghost Reservoir; or building a reservoir between Ghost Reservoir and Bearspaw Dam; or expanding Ghost Reservoir.
Information sessions will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30 at the Cochrane RancheHouse, and on Thursday, Oct. 3 and Tuesday, Oct. 15 at RockPointe Church off highway 1A, west of Calgary.
“Project details presented at the information sessions will include the potential size and locations of the three reservoir options, the scope of the conceptual assessment and project timelines,” according to a press release from the Ministry of Environment and Parks.
The conceptual assessment is scheduled to conclude some time before next spring.