Latest updates on the Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Project will be posted on this page. Once the updates are no longer considered new, the information will be stored on one of the Be Informed pages.
If you have any questions, email floodreadiness@drumheller.ca or contact the Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Office directly here.
Berm construction work is set to resume in Newcastle this week, starting with the removal of some elm trees, which is necessary for the work to proceed. Next week, crews will begin moving equipment as the spring construction season begins.
In the interest of safety, please stay out of the work areas. If you have any questions about berm construction work in Newcastle, you can contact the Flood Office at floodreadiness@Drumheller.ca.
Berm construction drawings for the Newcastle berm are available here.
Work is set to resume on the berm project in Newcastle in late March. Pidherney's, the construction contractor in charge of the project, will begin with tree clearing, followed by construction work in early April.
As a result of the construction, Ball Diamond 2 will be closed until at least June 15. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. The diamond will be reopened as soon as it is possible to do so. Ball Diamonds 1 and 3 will remain open
We understand that this closure may be inconvenient to some, but in the interest of safety, we ask everyone to stay away from Ball Diamond 2 while work proceeds. This work is vitally important, and will improve flood resiliency in the area for decades to come.
In the interest of safety, we ask that residents stay out of the work areas. Construction drawings for the berm in Newscastle can be found here.
The Province of Alberta released its 2023 Budget on February 28. The budget included an additional $27.3 million in funding for the Flood Mitigation project in the Drumheller Valley. The Flood Office expects that this will allow for the completion of all remaining berms. This work will help protect the Valley from future flooding events.
The Flood Office looks forward to completing a funding agreement with the Province of Alberta, and appreciates their commitment to flood mitigation.
Spring 2023 tree clearing work is set to begin on March 1 and run until April 15. Please see the back of this page for a map of where work will be done.
Tree clearing is essential to allow for the construction of berms in the area. The trees slated for removal have been chosen carefully to avoid unnecessary clearing.
In the interest of safety, the Flood Office would like to remind residents to stay out of the work areas. Upon completion of the work, wood chips and fire wood will be available for pickup. Please stay tuned for the schedule and locations.
More information about this tree clearing project is available on the Flood Readiness website. For any questions about tree clearing or flood mitigation work in the Drumheller Valley, residents are invited to contact the Flood Office.
Maps of the tree clearing area can be seen here.
The Town of Drumheller has begun the process to allow interested parties to bid on homes that have been purchased as part of the Flood Mitigation program. The bid process will allow interested parties to purchase, salvage and relocate structures on any of the properties. Once moved, the lands will be cleaned up and returned to their natural conditions.
The due date for proposals has been set for April 11, 2023 at 2 p.m. MT. Bid documents are available for pickup at the Drumheller Town Office (224 Centre Street) or online here.
The homes up for sale are located on the following properties:
The Flood Office is moving forward with a change to the design of the Midland Berm, approved by Drumheller Council on February 13, 2023.
Following the contract being awarding for the Midland Berm in the summer of 2022, the Flood Office began work to assess the cost of the upstream section of the berm, which runs parallel to 25th Street N.W. The Flood Office determined that there was an opportunity to make use of the existing CN Rail embankment, rather than building a new section of berm, to save on construction costs.
When the tender prices came in for the Midland Berm, the estimated cost to build this leg of the Midland Berm was determined to be $714,800. As Council had directed the Flood Office in May 2022 to seek cost savings opportunities where available, ParklandGeo was engaged to complete a geotechnical field study, soils testing and modelling to determine the feasibility of using the abandoned CN Rail embankment for the upstream leg of the Midland Berm, in place of the new designed berm section along 25th Street N.W.
ParklandGeo’s study found that while the existing CN Rail embankment soil material is not ideal material for a berm structure, the overall width of the embankment (average of 9.8 m) will provide an additional level of safety, mitigating the risk of failure during a flood event. The study also notes that the rail embankment has withstood flooding over the past 110 years.
Modifying the existing Midland CN Rail embankment to use as part of the Town’s flood mitigation infrastructure will result in significant cost savings, but will require new engineering design work to ensure it meets the standards required for a water retaining berm. The landscape drawings and tree and shrub replacement plan will also need to be adjusted to accommodate for the changes.
The anticipated overall cost savings of the project change is estimated at $350,000. Construction administration and construction work can be completed under the existing contracts awarded by Council to KCB and Wilco, respectively. The design and construction costs are eligible for funding under the Program’s overall $55M budget, supported by the Town of Drumheller, the Province and the Federal Government.
Long term, the Town will need to monitor and inspect the embankment on a regular and emergency basis over the long term, and complete any required repairs noted through the monitoring and inspection program.
The Town of Drumheller has approved a new Land Acquisition Policy for the Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Management Program.
You can can see the policy here.
CGI has completed an aquatic assessment of Michichi Creek, a necessary step in the construction of two berms in the area. The assessment covered the land that will be occupied by the North Drumheller Michichi Creek West Berm and the North Drumheller Michichi Creek East Berm projects.
Kerr Wood Ledial is the firm tasked with the design and construction of the two berm projects. Pending regulatory approval, watercourse re-alignment, bank stabilization and armouring construction is scheduled to commence in the spring of 2023.
You can view the report here.
The updated schedule is now available for berm construction projects in Midland, Newcastle, Grove Plaza, Willow Estates, Downtown Drumheller, Michichi Creek West and East, Hospital, East Coulee, Rosedale and Nacmine. The schedule includes planned construction through to the end of 2024.
The schedule is subject to change based on the progress of property acquisitions, regulatory approvals and material supply.
At this time, funding has not been guaranteed for berms in West Rosedale, North Cambria, Rosedale Highway 10x and Riverwood Close. These projects will be re-assessed in the future.
To download the updated program schedule, click here.
The Town of Drumheller will soon be advertising for interested parties to bid on homes that have been purchased as part of the Flood Mitigation program. The bid process will allow interested parties to purchase, salvage and relocate structures on any of the properties. Once moved, the lands will be cleaned up and returned to their natural conditions.
Advertising will be posted here and on the Drumheller Flood Mitigation website in mid-February. Bids will close at the end of March. More information on the properties, upcoming bidding process, dates, and process will be posted once details are finalized.
The "What We've Heard & How We're Responding" reports from the November 17th Community Engagement Event have been uploaded to the Flood Website.
To read the reports, CLICK HERE.
On December 5, 2022, the Tree & Shrub Procurement & Planting Tender was awarded to Wilco Contractors Southwest Inc in the amount of $1,287,163.00.
The Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Office (Flood Office), in tandem with Wilco Contractors Southwest Inc and Pidherney’s Construction Inc, will be pausing construction of the Midland, Newcastle, Willow Estates, and Grove Plaza berms until the Spring of 2023.
To read the full update, CLICK HERE.
Following the Community Engagement Event for the Michichi Creek, Hospital Extension, East Coulee, and Downtown Berms on November 17, 2022, the Flood Office has uploaded all the documents shared at the event.
To view the documents, click HERE.
The DRFMO is proud to announce, on behalf of the Tree Carving Event Committee, that the video of the live carving is now complete.
To watch the incredible work of Marina Cole, and the impressive dinosaur bench she carved, CLICK HERE.
The contractor working on the berm at Newcastle Beach Park has implemented a new no-parking zone along the East side of 10th Street West. This will allow the contractor to complete their work more safely, as their haul truck drivers have noted concerns about the visibility of children playing in between the vehicles. In the coming days, the haul trucks will also need to bring fill to the lot beside 10th Street West, so will need to have all vehicles moved from this area to allow for access. Local residents are encouraged to park on the West side of 10th Street West or at the Newcastle Park parking area located along 2nd Ave West near the blue A-frame building.
To view a map of the Newcastle Park access during berm construction, CLICK HERE.
The DRFMO has provided an update on the vibration monitoring that is taking place in construction areas.
To view the update, CLICK HERE.
The DRFMO has published drone photos taken of the Newcastle Berm to ensure residents have a visual of the construction.
Photo credit: Pidherney's Inc.
To view the photos, CLICK HERE.
Please be advised that the Town of Drumheller has relaxed the Community Standards Bylaw 06-19 to allow for Wilco Contractors Southwest Inc. to conduct work on the Willow Estates and North Drumheller Grove Plaza Berm Construction projects.
This relaxation will apply to the following:
Click here for the Willow Estates notice.
Click here for the North Drumheller Grove Plaza notice.
The DRFMO cordially invites you to join us for an in-person Community Engagement Session at the Badlands Community Facility. The session will focus on the East Coulee, Hospital, Michichi Creek, and Downtown Berms.
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location:Badlands Community Facility.
Please be advised that the Town of Drumheller has relaxed the Community Standards Bylaw 06-19 to allow for Wilco Contractors Southwest Inc. to conduct work on the Midland Berm Construction project. The affected area is identified on the corresponding map.
This relaxation will apply to the following:
For full details, please click here.
Please be advised that the Town of Drumheller has relaxed the Community Standards Bylaw 06-19 to allow for Pidherney's Inc. to conduct work on the Newcastle Berm Construction project.
This relaxation will apply to the following:
For full details, please click here.
Over the next few weeks, CCI will have biologists in the field conducting tree health assessments, which will be used to refine landscape plans in berm areas.
The tentative schedule is noted below:
Sep 29 – Oct 1
North Drumheller Michichi Creek West Berm
Oct 3 – 5
North Drumheller Michichi Creek East Berm
Oct 6 – 8
East Coulee Berm
Oct 10
Hospital Berm Extension
If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office.
(403) 823-4878
floodreadiness@drumheller.ca
On September 27, 2022, the Town of Drumheller, along with representatives from the Federal and Provincial governments, announced during a special ground-breaking ceremony that construction of the Drumheller Flood Mitigation Project will begin later this fall.
For the full update, click HERE.
The Midland "What We've Heard & How We're Responding" Report has been completed and uploaded to the flood website.
The report includes the following:
To view the full report, CLICK HERE.
Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd. (KCB) is pleased to provide a summary for the Newcastle Berm Wildlife Sweep conducted on September 19, 2022 to support the Town of Drumheller with respect to clearing vegetation for berm construction.
To view the report, click HERE. The report can also be found on the Resources page underneath the "Berm Construction" heading.
Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd. (KCB) is pleased to provide a summary for the Midland Berm Wildlife Sweep conducted on August 31, 2022 to support the Town of Drumheller with respect to clearing vegetation for berm construction.
To view the report, click HERE. The report can also be found on the Resources page underneath the "Berm Construction" heading.
A map of Newcastle Park that shows access during the construction period is uploaded to the Resources page on the flood website.
To view the Newcastle Park Access Map, CLICK HERE.
The Willow Estates "What We've Heard & How We're Responding" Report has been completed and uploaded to the flood website.
The report includes the following:
To view the full report, CLICK HERE.
Next week, Calgary Zoo staff and volunteers will be harvesting sagebrush from the Newcastle and Willow Estates berm areas in Drumheller. The sagebrush will be used as feed for the Zoo’s greater sage-grouse population in the coming year.
Click here to read the full update.
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions Canada Limited (Wood) was retained by the Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office (Town of Drumheller) to undertake a pre-construction survey (wildlife sweep) in support of site clearing and development activities proposed to begin September 2022 along the Red Deer River, adjacent to the community of Willow Estates in Drumheller, Alberta.
To view the report, click HERE. The report can also be found on the Resources page underneath the "Berm Construction" heading.
The Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Program Schedule has been updated. Please note that this schedule is subject to change.
To view the schedule, click HERE.
CCI Inc. (CCI) was retained by Kerr Wood Leidal Associates (KWL) to conduct a pre-clearing wildlife sweep of the Grove Plaza Berm. Specifically, the area North of the Red Deer River and east of Highway 56 where tree clearing will take place.
To view the report, click HERE. The report can also be found on the Resources page underneath the "Berm Construction" heading.
For more information and to RSVP, click HERE.
The pathway in Midland along the Red Deer River between the CN Rail bridge and North Dinosaur trail will be closed for approximately 16 weeks from Monday, August 29th 2022 until December 2022. The pathway is being closed to facilitate the Midland Berm upgrade as part of the Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Project.
For more information, click HERE.
Finalized berm construction drawings for the following projects are now available.
The Town of Drumheller is hosting a tree carving event!
While the Town of Drumheller makes every effort to avoid impacting trees, sometimes the nature of capital projects requires that some trees are removed to make space for project work. Some of the trees removed will be repurposed through a project initiated by a group of residents and Mayor Colberg.
Marina Cole (the carver), who is better known through her business name of Chainsaw Spirit, is from Irvine Alberta and her passion is to take old, downed trees and give them a second life by transforming them into works of art.
Her love and talent have made Marina into a sought-after artist who has participated in international competitions in Alaska, Australia, Montana, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Alberta.
Cole has created must-see chainsaw carvings throughout the Medicine Hat area, Alberta and BC and has opened Chainsaw Spirit Gallery in Irvine where she not only sells her woodwork, but products from other local artisans.
We're excited to announce that this event is fully funded by Alberta Culture Days!
At the Council meeting on August 15th, 2022, the Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Office made 2 Requests for Decision. Council adopted these motions, and the details are below.
Motion Adopted: Moves that the Midland Berm construction services be awarded to Klohn Crippen Berger through a scope change in the amount of $275,741.50 excluding G.S.T.
Motion Adopted: Moves that the Willow Estates Berm construction services be awarded to Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions Canada Ltd through a scope change in the amount of $360,990.00 excluding G.S.T.
The Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Office has hired a local videographer to do aerial drone surveys every two weeks (for 4 months) of the berm project areas during construction. If you see a drone flying above, this is what it's for.
The Traffic Volume Comparison report for the Downtown Berm and Riverside Drive is now available on the Resources page on the Flood Readiness website, under the Riverside Drive heading.
This report, created by JCB Engineering, compares traffic volumes data recently collected by the Town of Drumheller along Riverside Drive / 5 Street between 3 Avenue and 4 Avenue to traffic volumes used in the Transportation Impact Assessment (TIA) completed by JCB on April 12, 2022.
Over the August long weekend, the DRFMO conducted a traffic count at the intersection of 5th Street and 4th Avenue.
View the PROVISIONAL, raw data for 5th Street Northbound here.
View the PROVISIONAL, raw data for 5th Street Southbound here.
Construction Notices for each berm project scheduled to be built in 2022 can be found here:
Construction tenders have been awarded for the Newcastle, Midland, North Drumheller Grove Plaza, and Willow Estates berms.
The April 19th Public Hearing Question & Answer Package has been uploaded to the DRFMO Resources Page under the Riverside Drive heading.
Flood Mitigation – House Salvage EOI
2022-07-19
The Town of Drumheller is looking for interested parties to purchase and salvage three properties in Lehigh and two in Nacmine, which have been purchased as part of the Flood Mitigation Program.
For more details, visit www.drumheller.ca/do-business/tenders.
Starting August 8, ATCO and Shaw will be moving an existing overhead power line underground along Riverside Drive and 5 St E.
A section for monetary-related questions has been added to the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Audited Financial Statements for the periods ending:
December 31, 2020
December 31, 2021
June 30, 2021
Have been added to the resources page underneath "Financial Statements".
On July 4, the Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Program’s Technical Advisor, Mark Steffler, P. Eng., presented a Quarterly Report to Mayor and Council. This report covers the period from April 1 to June 30, 2022.
The Town of Drumheller hereby gives notice that three (3) submissions have been added to the Navigable Waters Registry pursuant to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act for public comment described herein and its site and plans.
On June 20, the Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office presented the 2022 Tender schedule to Mayor and Council.
Projects in this tender release include:
Tender advertisements are underway. All Flood Mitigation and Climate Adaptation tenders are available at www.drumheller.ca/do-business/tenders.
To read the full update, click here.
With the forecasted rainfall, and out of an abundance of caution, we have resources prepared to ensure residents of the Drumheller Valley are safe.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
