Sexsmith gets two provincial grants for flood mitigation work

Phase 1 included what Potter calls “small improvements to ditch drainage” and work to make sure the creek in that same area was flowing towards the drainage system.

Potter says there is some development proposed for south of 95 Avenue, something she notes “would have a direct impact on the usage of that stormwater drainage system, and so that’s why it was critical to get that done prior to that development happening.”

Potter adds the work along 95 Avenue will take two construction seasons to finish.

The other grant is for just over $850,000. She says this to finish a berm between 101 and 106 Streets. The first portion of the berm was done three years ago along the north end of Sexsmith at a cost of close to $6 million.

“The second phase will complete that flow by dealing with the northwest portion at 106 and 101 to ensure that that flow is exactly where it’s supposed to go, that it stays in the wetlands rather than coming into the town.”

Pumps and hoses have been used in the area where the berm is not complete to prevent flooding.

Potter says it should be finished in one construction season, but that will depend on things like who gets the tender and getting permission permits from CN Rail, as the berm would be located near the railway tracks. Potter is hoping the berm will be complete by the end of 2027.

She says this winter brought the first big snowfall since the berm was put in place, and there was some worry when that snow started to melt.

“Having an untested piece of infrastructure, you always hope that it does what it’s supposed to do.”

“(We) were very pleased that that berm has controlled the water level so far within the community. Most of the community has not experienced any sort of threat of flooding or danger from that.”

Potter says having the first part of the berm in place also helped with the 95 Avenue project because there is less water flowing as it is held at the wetland and moves more slowly.

She also says completing these two projects should take care of most of the major stormwater and runoff issues.

She adds people’s “whole lives are invested in their properties,” and she is thankful the town is able to get this work done.

“In fact, I was talking with a resident on Sunday, and they were talking about our 2020 flood.”

“That resident actually pulled out a canoe and was canoeing in their backyard because the water had risen so far up. It had taken out their fence on their property. It had taken out their garage.”

Potter adds the town advocated for close to five years with the federal and provincial governments for almost five years before it got funding for Phase 1 of these projects.

The province is paying 70 per cent of the close to $5.2 million total cost for these two projects. The town will pay the rest.

The grants are from the province’s Drought and Flood Mitigation Protection Program. There are two other grants from this stream coming to the Peace Country.

Just over $329,000 is going to the Smoky River Regional Water Management System. This is to do a feasibility study to look at the current water intake on the Little Smoky River, and possibly relocate the intake to Winagami Lake.

The current location of the intake is prone to low water levels and flooding.

A $560,000 grant will go to the Whitefish Lake First Nation for work to design and plan ditches and culverts to stop what the province calls “regular overland flooding.”

A total of $25 million was given out province-wide to 12 projects.

The full list can be found here.

by Curtis Galbraith