CALGARY, ALTA. – Alberta’s transportation ministry has released an 8,000 page document with responses to information requests received in 2018 from Alberta Environment and Parks, the Natural Resources Conservation Board and the federal Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency regarding regulatory approval of the Springbank Reservoir.
The reservoir located approximately 15 km west of Calgary is a dry reservoir intended to temporarily store water after a flood. It will work in concert with Calgary’s Glenmore Reservoir to accommodate water levels equivalent to the 2013 flood on the Elbow River.
“Our government has committed to doing everything in our power to get regulatory approval for the Springbank Reservoir. Flood mitigation for Calgary and other communities is vital, and we need to move this project forward as quickly as possible through a very complex regulatory process. Our responses to regulator questions are compelling and comprehensive, and I look forward to seeing regulators move the Springbank Reservoir project forward,” provincial minister of transportation Ric McIver said.
Technical responses to questions included Indigenous consultation, water, hydrogeology and environmental impacts, benefits and costs and land use.
Regulatory approval is required before construction can proceed. If the Springbank Reservoir receives regulatory approval it is expected to be operational within two full construction seasons and fully operational after three construction seasons. The information requests and responses are available on the government of Alberta’s website. Stantec was retained for the design, engineering and environmental impact statement (EIA). Once construction is complete, Alberta Environment and Parks will be responsible for reservoir management and operations.
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