Attention East Coulee Residents,

The Flood Office is commencing test pit excavation in East Coulee as a vital component of ongoing flood mitigation initiatives taking place in the community. The test pits are required as part of the regulatory approvals to determine if any archaeological resources may be present at the site.

Project Purpose:

In Alberta, historic resources are not always visible on the surface. As a result, construction or development projects may inadvertently impact these resources. To safeguard these historical assets, the Government of Alberta mandates various assessments to uncover hidden resources. This process involves excavating areas in advance to gather archaeological information such as buried artifacts and other evidence that tells us about human life in the past. 

Impact on East Coulee:

As part of ongoing work within East Coulee, several locations necessitate assessment and evaluation. To facilitate this, the Flood Office will be supporting the excavation of 5 to 6 test pits along the Phase 2 footprint, with depths of up to 3 meters to access glacial sediments. This archaeological data is required as part of the flood mitigation regulatory approvals and ensures that adequate due diligence is in place to protect any historic resources located in the construction area below ground level.

What Residents Can Expect:

In the winter, we will conduct the 5-6 test pit excavations. An area map outlining the proposed text excavation sites for East Coulee can be viewed below.

Residents should expect the presence of heavy equipment, including trucks and excavators, which will generate noise during the operation. For your safety and that of the workers, we kindly request that you steer clear of excavation sites during the work's progress.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we carry out these crucial projects in East Coulee.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to the Flood Office directly via: floodreadiness@drumheller.ca