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During their Sept.17 meeting, Council approved Administration’s recommendations for the construction of Reach 6. This marks a key milestone in finalizing permanent flood mitigation.
It is anticipated that construction will begin in 2025 for structural mitigation to be placed between Clearwater Drive and the Clearwater River, with future growth consideration of the Clearwater Drive corridor. To date, the total spend for flood mitigation is $119M with the total overall budget for the program estimated at $270M.
Administration presented updated information to address safety concerns raised at the July 10 meeting. RCMP identified Crime Prevention through Environmental Design practices for consideration which includes building the trail on top of the berm and removing the trail directly adjacent to the Clearwater River, as well as the installation of lighting and security cameras.
"Completing the flood mitigation program is a top priority for Council, the Municipality and the entire community," said Mayor Sandy Bowman. "This is another step towards solidifying improved community resilience for everyone, and especially the people that live, work and gather downtown."
Council identifies the conclusion of flood mitigation infrastructure investments as a milestone in its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan. The prioritization of flood mitigation has been further emphasized following the 2020 flood.
About Reach 6
Reach 6 is part of the Flood Mitigation Framework and will be the last permanent flood mitigation reach for downtown Fort McMurray - connecting Reach 5 and 7. It is one of the largest and most public-facing portions that will enhance community safety during river breakup by helping to protect downtown homes, businesses and municipal assets.
The Municipality is working closely with the Fort McMurray Heritage Society to address the project’s impact on the Heritage Shipyard, which is currently within the Reach 6 footprint. To effectively mitigate future flood risk, the Shipyard will be relocated to allow for the construction of structural mitigation such as earth berms, retaining walls and other necessary infrastructure. The Shipyard will remain along the river and all historical artifacts will be protected at above the 250.9 m level.
Several internal and external workshops were held between December 2023 and April 2024 to gather measurable feedback from stakeholders and key community partners. This feedback provided input on specific design constraints that aligned with their areas of expertise and to better understand potential impacts to the project.
The Flood Mitigation Program
The Flood Mitigation Program is a major priority for the Municipality. The program is comprehensive in nature, with a considerable history, significant investment and many complex decisions.
The Flood Mitigation Framework is broken into stages:
Stage 1 – Original reaches as identified within the 2014 Flood Mitigation Program
Stage 2 – Post 2020 Flood event modifications and program expansion
Stage 3 – Mitigation Integrity Review and additional work as identified
Seasonal mitigation will continue to be in place until all Stage 1 and 2 projects are completed over the next few years. It will be less visible to the public, with fewer requirements for triple dams and other surface mitigation measures.
To learn more about the history of the Municipality’s Flood Mitigation Program visit rmwb.ca/floodmitigation. If you have questions, please contact Pulse at 780-743-7000 or pulse@rmwb.ca
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