New Flow for Bow River

New Flow for Bow River

First Significant Alteration

The very famous Bow River (meaning 'river where bow reeds grow' in Makhabn) that runs through the city of Calgary begins in the Rocky Mountains. It first winds around the foothills and onto the prairies. The Bow takes in the Elbow River at the historic site of Fort Calgary near downtown. Between 1910 and 1960 The Bow was engineered to provide hydroelectric power for Calgary which significantly altered the river's flow and certain ecosystems. It is now considered an important source for irrigation and drinking water.

Flood Alteration Horror Story

For the fishing guides in Calgary the floods last year were a horror story. These fishing guides take thousands of visitors from all over the world floating down the Bow River each summer. They know the Alberta river system better than most and count on them to make a living. They watched as the severe flooding changed the Bow River and put their livelihoods in jeopardy.

This Year Different

As another spring approaches the city's largest river, it means the start of another fly-fishing season for Kevin Peterson. He has been floating the waters for over 20 years but this year will be different. Peterson says, "There is a lot of it that has changed, you know, a tremendous amount since the flood."

Boat Launch Moved 60 Metres

As an example of the extreme change, one local boat launch is at least 60 metres farther east. Now gravel sits where water once flowed. "The day that the flood happened, looking at the river, we had no idea what to expect…whether we would get a guide season last year [and] what the river would look like afterwards," said Peterson.

Huge Changes to Economic Spinoff

Damages from the rushing floodwaters of the Bow River can still be seen along the banks today. Peterson says, "It's amazing the volume of earth that has been moved." There have been some attempts to repair it. When fishing is how you make your living, change and overcoming obstacles isn't easy. The 'steady stream' of tourists who come to fish the river also buy gas, food and stay in hotels. Questions regarding the economy of fishing remain as Peterson dropped his boat into the water for the first time this season, the once familiar waters now uncharted.

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Building in a Flood Zone! No Worries



Logo Courtesy of Concord Pacific

Building in a Flood Zone! No Worries

There is a new condo development coming to Calgary and it will be right next to the banks of the Bow River. Why? According to the company, Concord Pacific Inc., Vancouver-based, the Concord will have the latest and best engineered flood and emergency preparedness. It will be designed in Canada, according to Concord spokespeople.

Record-breaking Prices

Concord plans to sell the residential units at record-breaking prices. People want luxury and the company' history proves that it is behind some of North America's largest urban real-estate projects. With its first foray into the booming Calgary market it hopes to attract the wealthy.

City's Wealthy Residents

The complex, on the edge of downtown Calgary, will include just under 200 luxury homes anchored around a 105-suite, 14-storey tower. The president and chief executive of Concord Pacific, Terry Hui, said that the Eau Claire project will offer the city's wealthy businesspeople that special high-end, superior type of residency that the downtown core has yet to see.

Most Luxurious

Mr. Terry Hui speaks proudly of the project. "We're lucky," he said. "We're going to probably launch the most luxurious and the best site in Calgary." He added, "When we launch it, it's probably going to be the most high-end building the city has ever seen."

Start at $1 Million

According to a Concord press release, the prices will effectively start at $1 million. The penthouses will fetch close to $13 million. There will be a “limited selection” of two-bedroom condominiums prices starting at only $700,000. The current average price of a Calgary condominium is $341,000, according to the Calgary Real Estate Board

City of Calgary Endorsement

The infrastructure, created by Associated Engineering has been designed to be Canada’s top flood and emergency-prepared residential development. It is said to include a perimeter system engineered to withstand an episode twice as significant as the 2013 flood;

Deputy Mayor, Druh Farrell has said, “The Concord’s location next the Bow River overlooking the Peace Bridge is one of the most beautiful in Calgary and the Arthur Erickson-inspired design will add a global flavor to our downtown.”

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Mike Holmes Advice for Calgary



Mike Holmes - photo courtesy holmesspot.blog

Mike Holmes Advice for Calgary

This year’s flooding in Calgary could be less than last year. That’s good. In 2012, mountain snow was a lot thicker than it is now. Plus last year there was the torrential dump of rain from mid-May to mid-July. This caused much flooding. There’s now way to predict the rain but last year’s advice from Mike Holmes was to, “Have patience.”

Wait until You Have all the Information

People don't realize, Mike Holmes cautioned back then, closing up their houses when they are soaking wet is not a good plan. If people come back later and suck all that water out then rip everything down there they may be forgetting about hydronic pressure. If this pressure leans against the foundation of your home, saturated with water, the foundation could cave in. “So, again, moving too fast is a really bad thing,” he stated.

People Begged for Help

Last year, Mike Holmes and his crew were filming the Calgary flood. He advised people that had water above the first floor to have patience. He said that he understood how devastated they were. “They don't know what to do. They've got mortgage payments, they've got rental payments…they’re moving to somewhere else.” He quipped that there may be a storm after the storm.

Everyone's Running in the Wrong Direction

After the aftermath of all that, and people moving in the wrong direction for example closing up their houses, they soon came to realize that they had nothing but problems. They couldn’t sell their homes. And again, why? Mike Holmes advice again was, “If you don't have patience, you're going to have a problem.” It’s best to get good advice from the experts and follow the plan. That’s how to make it right.

The Latest News on Calgary Flooding

City Officials, this year are keeping a closer eye on all the factors that could lead to overland flooding. In a briefing recently they stated that there are areas of potential concern especially if spring runoff occurs too quickly. They did stop short of sounding alarm bells at this point in time.

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