The memory of June’s flood remains fresh in the minds of Albertans, and there’s a stark reminder for residents in the Crowsnest Pass as they continue work on damages left behind.
But this week, closure may be one step closer as the municipality moves forward in the disaster recovery process.
Eight months ago, quiet mountain-side creeks turned into paths of destruction overnight.
Full trees and boulders barreled through yards, roadways and bridges in the Crowsnest Pass. Though it may appear the peaceful town has picked up the pieces, there’s still so much more to be done to restore the devastation of June’s flood.
“Spring time is not that far away and we’re very concerned we’re going to be in the same situation this year,” said Mayor Blair Painter.
Tenders are quickly closing on several construction projects, but there’s more to the timeline than choosing the right construction company.
“Part of the criteria in this tender process is making sure that whoever’s awarded the contract will be able to start immediately and get to work on these areas before we get back into another flood situation,” added Painter.
Quick turnaround isn’t the only stipulation- the municipality also has environmental hoops to jump through in the process.
“We have a rare species of fish that are on the protected list, Rocky Mountain cutthroat trout, and the federal fisheries department is very strict on when you can actually do any work or have equipment in the waterways,” explained Painter.
Most of the projects involve reinforcing river banks, and repairing or replacing damaged structures. But the most difficult project of all is clearing out a massive log jam near a creek on the mountain side, a problem which many residents believe caused the flooding in the first place.
“That’s a real concern because it’s a log jam and if it breaks free then we have a real issue on that creek,” said Painter.
Most of the destruction has been hidden for months, blanketed under several feet of thick, white snow.
But the snow banks aren’t a distraction for these flood victims. They’re a reminder that Spring thaw is unpredictable.
The municipality says most of the funding for these projects will come from both provincial and federal grants.
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