Flood mitigation plans for the Willow Estates area east of Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS) were revealed during a virtual information session hosted by the Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office (DRFMO) on Thursday, March 31.
The community was affected by flooding in both 2005 and 2013 and, along with the risk to homes in the area, there is also risk to vital infrastructure-the town’s main water supply lift station.
“In 2005, there was some temporary fill brought in for flood protection,” Woods Water Resources senior project engineer Liv Hundal explained during the presentation. “We want to minimize that kind of emergency response, especially from more frequent flood events.”
The berm will be about 710 in length and will ring the community of Willow Estates with three main segments.
This design will help protect the community from direct flooding from the Red Deer River and offer protection against back flooding from a drainage gully within the community.
Some 45 existing properties will be protected along with future development of some 20 properties.
One unique feature of the Willow Estates berm is it will not encroach on private property. However, some work must be undertaken within the river channel to install about 50 metres of rock riprap upstream and roughly 100 metres of riprap downstream.
“Ideally we do try to avoid encroaching into the river, but sometimes it is necessary to place this rock riprap to prevent erosion,” Mr. Hundal explained. “We only do this work after careful consideration and make sure we are not causing any adverse impacts on adjacent areas or our fish habitat.”
The berm design will still allow for public access to the riverbank at the southeast portion of the berm, along with swift water rescue access near the pumphouse at the west end of the berm.
Some trees in the area will need to be removed, and an initial tree assessment has been completed. Trees assessed at good to fair condition will be replaced with five trees, shrubs, or a combination thereof for each tree removed. The berm will also be landscaped with a low maintenance native seed mix.
Regulatory submissions will be underway in early April and, pending regulatory approvals, tendering is expected to go forward in June to July.
Construction is anticipated to begin in September 2022 with completion expected by the end of 2022.

Amendments to the Wheatland County Land Use Bylaw (LUB) to allow hamlet residents to keep backyard hens or bees was defeated by council following a public hearing during the regular Tuesday, March 22 council meeting.
Discussion around permitting backyard hens and bees has been ongoing, with a ratepayer survey and questionnaire sent out in October 2021, and the proposed amendments circulated to ratepayers in mid-December 2021.
“The majority of (survey) participants were not interested in keeping backyard hens or bees on their property, but were not opposed to neighbours doing so provided conditions were in place to consider the potential impact to neighbours and the welfare of the animal,” explained Planning and Development planner Taylor Felt during the meeting.
Mr. Felt added these amendments were only being considered for the hamlet residential districts, and not in the communities of Speargrass or Lakes of Muirfield, based on a majority of responses from the December communication voicing opposition.
A single written submission was received after the circulation period for the public hearing closed, and the submission was read into the record.
While the ratepayer expressed they were in favour of allowing backyard hens, they were strongly opposed to allowing bees due to the risk of allergic reactions resulting in anaphylaxis.
Division 7 Councillor Rick Laursen shared his concerns about the potential risks for salmonella and cyanobacteria transmission from chickens to humans.
This has been a concern Councillor Laursen has continued to raise throughout discussions on the proposed amendments.
Other council members also questioned whether there was enough interest to justify making amendments to the bylaw and, if approved, how to repeal the bylaw if necessary.
Division 3 Councillor Donna Biggar and Reeve Amber Link both noted they have been approached by ratepayers interested in keeping backyard hens or bees, both within their respective divisions and from across the county.
“If I can raise a chicken in Calgary, you should be able to raise a chicken in Cheadle,” Division 4 Councillor Tom Ikert stated, referencing a bylaw passed by the city to allow backyard hens within the urban area.
The proposed amendment to the bylaw was defeated during the third reading with three votes in favour and four in opposition; as the motion was defeated, the topic cannot be brought forward for council consideration for a one-year period.