When the 2013 Southern Alberta Flood devastated Calgary and its surrounding communities, it inflicted more than $5 billion in damages to infrastructure, businesses, and households. In the aftermath, it became clear that proactive, large-scale mitigation strategies were needed to protect Alberta’s economic engine from future disasters. The Springbank Off-stream Reservoir (SR1) is at the heart of that strategy. Hon. Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, described SR1 as “a critical part of Alberta’s flood mitigation strategy. SR1 works in tandem with the Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary to accommodate water volumes equal to the 2013 flood on the Elbow River, helping protect infrastructure, homes, and businesses, and Alberta’s economy from the costly impacts of flooding.” Unlike traditional reservoirs, SR1 is designed as a dry facility, only filling during flood events. “As the dry reservoir will only hold water during a flood event, in most years a lot of the land will be available for other uses, including First Nations exercising Treaty Rights and traditional uses, as well as general public use and access for recreational purposes,” says Schulz. Diversion Structure and Elbow River looking east. Spring 2025. (Photo Credit: Vinci) 47 NOV 2025 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA
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