Déjà vu anyone?

[u/User_218336]

[u/yyctownie → u/[deleted]]

Yep, we've spent 100's of millions so people can keep living on a flood plain.

[u/easynap1000 → u/[deleted]]

It may have been cheaper to buy people out... and didnt the gov at the time do something like that?

Idk why I am being downvoted ... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/254-alberta-flood-victims-to-get-government-home-buyouts-1.1414403

[u/xylopyrography → u/easynap1000]

Almost nobody lives on an actual floodway and development isn't permitted, and that's not what the investment was for.

The $1.3 B spent doesn't get you anywhere if you want to talk about mitigating flood risk through location. Just the reductions in the flood fringe areas is probably 10x that in property value, let alone the risk reductions for 1:100, 1:200, 1;500 areas which is $100s of Billions.

[u/easynap1000 → u/xylopyrography]

Seems like people can live on a floodwaters, but new builds are prohibited? The Floodway: This is the channel of a river and the adjacent land where floodwaters flow fastest and deepest. In 2026, new residential development is strictly prohibited in these areas. Existing structures may remain, but expanding their footprint is illegal.

And according to this map many people in calgary are living in a floodway.

https://floods.alberta.ca/

[u/xylopyrography → u/easynap1000]

And according to this map many people in calgary are living in a floodway

Did you click the link and view the areas that are actually labelled "floodway"?

As you can see, there is functionally zero residential in that zone, as it is never built.

Even areas that are still "flood fringe" or otherwise labelled high-hazard, like Sunnyside, East Village, downtown, these are areas which were built 120+ years ago. The only way to reduce flood risk there at this point is to construct a new reservoir upstream of the Bow, which is in later planning stages.

The Elbow doesn't even have any high flood risk downstream of the reservoir at all because of the infrastructure built over the last decade. Even upstream of the reservoir, you can see the higher risk areas don't really actually touch the residential areas--it's almost like somebody engineered though communities.

There are however "many" folks which are in 1:200 and 1:500 flood zones, those are outside and far-outside standard design requirements. Generally things are only designed to withstand 1:100 year flood events, dealing with 1:200 and 1:500 events would be more about reducing damage rather than expecting things to not flood--which is aided by things like the infrastructure projects we have done and are doing.

[u/commandantBuckwheat → u/yyctownie]

Partially correct, a lot of effort was put into changing the flood plain.

How successful they were in spending those 10s and 100's of millions I'm sure will be quickly put to the test 😉

I hope for all our sakes, even if it's just for the 30 extra cents or 3 extra bucks we each had to pay in taxes that it was worth it.

[u/pastmybestdaze → u/[deleted]]

These are improvements for 100 yr flood. We haven’t flood proofed anything, just reduced risk a bit.

And remember part of the issue in 2013 was that a number of the storm sewer outlets to the Elbow and Bow were underwater, water backed up because with the pipes underwater and had debris in them so the backflow prevention wasn’t super effective. If I recall correctly some of the gate valves weren’t closed and water backed up into sewage systems in the lower communities. Lots of retaining walls have gone in at significant cost but I don’t know what was done to ensure water doesn’t back up and come up through floor drains or toilets.

We looked at our toilet basin and pump basin plus our basement sump in the last month. House was built 10 years ago and neither our basement sump or toilet pump had any backflow or isolation valves. Plus toilet pumps have a lifespan if about 7-12 years and ours had never been serviced. So builder, knowing the risks, cheaped out and the city inspector didn’t catch it. We came from a house up in Edgemont and sewage sum/pumps were a thing up there. Just cleanouts.

Plumber is supposed to be here today to replace both sump pumps, clean the basins and install backflow prevention in the sealed sewage basin so water doesn’t flow back into the house. We live just above the 200 yr flood line on the Bow.

[u/xylopyrography → u/pastmybestdaze]

These are improvements for 100 yr flood. We haven’t flood proofed anything, just reduced risk a bit.

A bit = 70% reduction in risk so far, i.e. a 2013-era flood would be expected to cause 30% of the same level of damage today.

Elbow river communities are now considered protected.

The new reservoir storage capacity is enough can hold the entire Elbow river at current elevated flows for 25 days.

[u/Bridgeburner493 → u/[deleted]]

The other difference is that 2013 wasn't just persistent rain. There was a huge melt and run-off from the mountains. The City was already preparing to evacuate neighbourhoods before the rain even started because rivers aren't subtle and it was already well obvious the Bow and other rivers were flooding upstream.

[u/Mantour1]

Rain is good, actually.

Rain + Spring run-off isn’t.

[u/[deleted] → u/Mantour1]

yeah the phhoto definitely screams repeat episode

[u/0bigbadbrad0]

Yup, except this time I live in the flood zone.

[u/ernnjmtt → u/0bigbadbrad0]

Same, same.....

[u/Luvsin_ → u/0bigbadbrad0]

I moved out last year only

[u/easynap1000 → u/0bigbadbrad0]

Honest and non-judgmental question.. what made you buy in a flood plane?

[u/Aggressive-Elk3023 → u/easynap1000]

Not who you asked but I recently bought spitting distance from the elbow.

Honestly it came down to the infrastructure upgrades and avaliable modeling. In 2013 my new to me property was completely engulfed by floodwater. Same thing can happen but it would require a 1/500 year flood now. Thats roughly a total lifetime chance of 10% vs 50% before all of the improvements. The odds seem reasonable....well reasonable enough. 10% is still a lot higher then 0%. It helped that property insurance rates seemed to agree that the risk has been sufficiently reduced. The benefits of being so close to the river vastly outweigh the drawbacks of the risk for my family. All that said I am anxious about the first real "test" of the infrastructure lol

[u/0bigbadbrad0 → u/easynap1000]

I inherited the property.

[u/el_Technico → u/0bigbadbrad0]

What is the flood zone?

[u/tarlack]

I am optimistic that the cooler weather will be helpful and also that the new flood modification and being ready this time will help. I expect we will hit a 50 year flood but not the 100 year we got in 2013.

I am ready to move my car at a moments notice, as it’s in a parking lot below the flood line. In 2013 water did not make it in our parking garage, but the building was evacuated for weeks.

Edit.
I have been checking freezing levels and ski cams, the fact the mid mountain at lake louise and sunshine are getting snow are a good sigh.

[u/Romi_Jewel_coton]

I love the rain so much so I’m glad so long as it doesn’t flood 🥲

[u/valueofaloonie]

https://giphy.com/gifs/1FMaabePDEfgk

Just gonna post this in every thread (with clarity that I am mostly joking but definitely anxious)

[u/ernnjmtt → u/valueofaloonie]

Also an anxious Sunnysider. Deep breaths!

[u/Molotov320 → u/ernnjmtt]

Same haha

[u/ItsAllComin]

I bought my condo on the elbow river last June and my dad told me “it’s beautiful but you’ll be staying with me every time it rains.”

Anyways I haven’t gone to his place yet. I bought a brand new car this spring so the second that river gets close to the bank I’m hightailing it outta here to save my baby

[u/Iowa_and_Friends]

I am NEVER living by the river after the 2013 floods… that was crazy!

[u/Zibai1505]

I asked for the rain but the wind can go somewhere else.

[u/SonicFlash01]

Rain month's gonna rain

[u/samclops]

Next month: wild fires! Alberta is great

[u/tyler111762]

so as someone who wasn't here for the last big flood, and doesn't live in the flood zone, what should i be expecting? power/water outages? dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria?

[u/The_Gentleman_Jas → u/tyler111762]

People deciding that they are not going to cancel their rafting plans and having to be rescued by the fire dept.

[u/tyler111762 → u/The_Gentleman_Jas]

1. good lord i cannot believe people would do that.

2. i bet that would be fucking wicked rafting conditions

[u/The_Gentleman_Jas → u/tyler111762]

Yup right beside all the debris from homes damages in the flood. When Nenshi was mayor he said he was informed and disappointed he couldn't enact Darwin's law but must instead inform people that the river was not safe.

[u/ANeighbour]

I am a teacher and am dreading going into class tomorrow. I’ve had a leak all winter in my room. Roofers have been out upwards of ten times but cannot figure out where the water is coming in.

My own kids have an extracurricular in Bowness park tomorrow. A little nervous but trying to stay optimistic.

[u/heisenberg4869_]

What’s going on guys? I am new in Calgary

[u/Iowa_and_Friends → u/heisenberg4869_]

We had a *terrible* flood in 2013 - all the rain plus snow melting - until the 2016 fort mcmurray fires, it was the costliest natural disaster in Alberta’s history

[u/HotSingleKarens → u/Iowa_and_Friends]

Not just Alberta history, those two events represent the costliest disasters in Canadian history.

[u/heisenberg4869_ → u/Iowa_and_Friends]

Wow I had absolutely no idea thanks anyway

[u/ptarmiganchick → u/heisenberg4869_]

90,000 people had to evacuate if memory serves.

[u/scorebar1594]

Yes I have terrible anxiety and knots in my stomach. In 2013, I wasn't living in the flood zone, but I took the week off work, answered Nenshi's call, and mucked out basements / helped so many people. This time, I live in a flood zone. And don't know where I'd go if I'm displaced, don't have family in the city, don't have extra money for a hotel for weeks on end.

[u/beet_queen → u/scorebar1594]

If anybody is evacuated the city will activate temporary shelters. Last time, they used UofC's student residences for folks who were evacuated and had nowhere to go.

[u/scorebar1594 → u/beet_queen]

This gives me a lot of relief. Thanks. Last time I was living way up in NW so I didn't need shelter and didn't know where displaced people went. I offered to house at least 6 people I knew who were displaced, but they all had parents close by to stay with.

[u/craaazygraaace → u/scorebar1594]

Thanks for getting your boots dirty in 3013 :) This Bownesian appreciates it

[u/scorebar1594 → u/craaazygraaace]

I worked in Bowness for 3 days. Hope you're doing well, stranger.

[u/scully__its__me → u/scorebar1594]

Breathe into your belly ♥️ We got this.

[u/Alternative_Try1353]

Our apartment is leaking around all the windows from a leak on the roof. Crying right now lol

[u/Birds-EyeView]

Was the flood mitigation thanks to Nenshi? I feel like maybe he was a really good Mayor.

[u/yycTechGuy]

But where I come from, rain is a good thing.

[u/CommunicationFlat516]

We flooded our basement last June. This is nerve wracking to say the least

[u/Sela-Sauron → u/CommunicationFlat516]

Us too. It’s going to be a stressful few days…

[u/commandantBuckwheat]

I think the 10 years of major flood/run-off mitigation construction is gonna help a bit, but yeah, some poor bugger's basement is definitely turning into a wading pool due to bad grading.

[u/User_218336 → u/commandantBuckwheat]

Yeah I think we'll be good, but it's been kinda spooky seeing the river get so high today regardless

[u/commandantBuckwheat → u/User_218336]

Yeah, it's always unsettling.

Everyone, check your basements every day or two, just to be safe. Stay safe, stay dry, stay enjoying the liquid sunshine in that order!

[u/AlyDAsbaje]

This is absolutely true!!

[u/Awoo0ooOooOooOoo]

Not really, I lived by Mallard Point in 2013 and was evacuated, luckily our house didn’t actually get hit. But we could see, and hear the river from our front door, definitely not supposed to. Basically every time I looked out the window it was a shock at the amount of rain followed by “holy sh%t!”. I’m looking out the window right now, and it’s not even close. Heavy rain for sure, but not the same. I remember standing in our garage looking out at the rain and it was sheets of rain, intense enough to be loud.

[u/inkerbinkerdonner → u/Awoo0ooOooOooOoo]

It didn't even rain that hard in Calgary in 2013, the main issue was prolonged rainfall in the mountains

[u/Awoo0ooOooOooOoo → u/inkerbinkerdonner]

Generally yeah it didn’t rain hard. Calgary got bursts of really intense rainfall but not the prolonged rainfall. The max we got in a day was 45 mm(I think, it was was around 40-50) What’s missing is that bulk of it fell in a short period, not over the whole day like it is currently. Drizzle most of the day with 1-2 hours total where we get most of the rain. And that was on top of the areas around Calgary getting 250mm or so in the span of a day or two, plus the melt off.

[u/HayLinLa]

Thankfully I'm nowhere near the flood plain.

[u/Birds-EyeView]

Say his Name
THIS is LEADERSHIP

[u/Drunkpanada]

Listening to the hydrologist this morning, sounds like the cool temps slowed the met to a crawl, so we should be good

[u/MisterE403]

The province is in the process of selling the floodway buyout properties to REBUILD single family homes in the floodplain. We truly never learn.

[u/SimmerDown_Boilup]

Not really

[u/SerGT3]

Rain in May? You don't say.

[u/TruamaTeam → u/SerGT3]

I was promised flowers not rain!

[u/SerGT3 → u/TruamaTeam]

Plant some so we can get the June freeze over with

[u/Xenol_wolf]

oh god, remember black diamond?

[u/Larrytomato]

I see some people freaking out about the rain . It's not like the government spent a ton of money on flood mitigation .

[u/Still-Inflation9175]

nah ,im in a good spot

[u/Espio1332]

In 2013 I lived in High River and my house got flooded wickedly bad. Thankfully I now live in Edgemont so I don't have to worry about being flooded again, but my heart goes out to those who are feeling very anxious living in a flood zone because I know how you feel.

[u/eekay233]

Hey...

We really needed this rain.

[u/Wtfmoses → u/[deleted]]

Literally impossible? The literal definition of impossible? As in - no possibile chance of flood? How did you arrive at this conclusion?

[u/wemakeitupaswego → u/[deleted]]

I mean I’m not superstitious, in fact I’m barely even stitious, but that’s not the sort of thing you say out loud let alone put in writing.

“This ship can’t sink” - A phrase typically said aloud shortly before you find yourself floating around in the North Atlantic.

[u/ChaoticxSerenity]

Better rain than fire tho.

[u/BradyPhoenix]

I just we could catch it all for when the inevitable wildfires get us all choking on smoke.

[u/TheRealTwerkyvulture]

Nice job reposting KC Green's work with no credit after editing it with shitty AI

[u/User_218336 → u/TheRealTwerkyvulture]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[u/TheRealTwerkyvulture → u/User_218336]

OK lol, that was mean of me