The city has assessed about 100 riverbank erosion sites that were damaged in the floods at the end of June and officials say six are categorized as critical.

The designation means that the sites are vulnerable to further erosion during high river flows and could cause damage to city infrastructure if no stabilization is implemented.

“Damage to the riverbanks was extensive and there is a lot of work to be done,” said Frank Frigo, Senior Planning Engineer, Water Services “More than 35 km of riverbank was severely eroded along the Bow and Elbow rivers and it may be a number of years until we are able to complete all of the necessary work.”

The six critical riverbank sites are located at:

  • 8 Avenue at 22 St. S.E. in Inglewood
  • Home Road and 52 St. N.W.
  • Memorial Drive at 3 Street N.W.
  • Diamond Cove S.E.
  • ENMAX power station in Douglasdale
  • Memorial Drive at 19 Street N.W.

Crews have already started work on the 8 Avenue and Home Road sites and say repairs will get underway at Memorial Drive and 3 Street N.W. within the next two weeks.

Crews will use more than 52,000 cm³ of rock on the three critical erosion sites at Home Road, Memorial Drive and in Inglewood.

The city says the other three sites are under study and design but that it hopes to have all critical sites addressed before the 2014 flood season.

“Bank restoration design and delivery is very complex and requires consideration of a number of elements,” said Frigo. “The City is working closely with both the provincial and federal governments to ensure river navigation, public lands and environmental regulations are addressed as well as flood inundation and infrastructure protection. The location of all the sites poses further challenges and therefore requires thoughtful engineering and construction planning.”

The City’s assessment crew also identified 26 sites on the Bow and Elbow rivers that were found to have the potential of vulnerability in the next flood season.

Plans are being drafted to address those sites in 2014 and include the Lindsay Park area and the pathway adjacent to Stampede Park.

The city says that the rest of the erosion sites are structurally stable and will withstand another flood season.