Flood Risk Reduction Strategy Revisited

Alberta Wilderness Association offers its sincere condolences to families who have lost loved ones as a result of the June 2013 floods, and to those whose homes or livelihoods have been devastated by the floods. Given the intensity and extent of the June 2013 flooding, it is worth revisiting the recommendations of the Alberta government’s Flood Mitigation Committee created in the aftermath of Alberta’s 2005 severe floods to reduce risks of future floods. The Committee’s 2006 report (unreleased until 2012) recommended a $306 million strategy to: (1) increase resources available to make informed decisions about flood risks, (2) provide more support to municipalities to limit future developments in flood prone areas and (3) continue to provide technical expertise to municipalities for river and lake related flooding.