Riverbank erosion and stabilization

Riverbank erosion is a natural process that is critical to a rivers health as it allows movement of the channel which creates new aquatic and terrestrial habitat.  In fact, the Bow and Elbow River have moved considerably in the past (see image below). In the 2013 flood alone several banks eroded by more than 50 m.

Unfortunately, sometimes this natural erosion and channel movement start to put infrastructure like roads or water pipelines at risk. When that infrastructure cannot be moved out of the way an erosion mitigation project is required to stop the erosion and protect the infrastructure.

After the 2013 Flood, more than 200 flood-related infrastructure projects requiring repairs or restoration work were identified and prioritized into critical, high, moderate and low-priority projects.

The priority list is based on ourTriple Bottom Line Policy, which accounts for social, environmental and economic costs and benefits for each project.

To date most of the erosion projects from the 2013 flood have been addressed though new erosion sites develop every year as the rivers and creeks continues to move into new areas

To help address any loss is fish or riparian habitat from these projects, the City also has developed the Fish Habitat Compensation Program and the Riparian Action Plan

An image of the Bow and Elbow Rivers and their natural ’meander belt’ or area which they have eroded back and forth from over the last 10,000 years.

An image of the Bow and Elbow Rivers and their natural ’meander belt’ or area which they have eroded back and forth from over the last 10,000 years.

Current erosion mitigation projects

  • Glenmore Erosion Hotspots

An image of flooding the Elbow River at Macleod Trail and Erlton train station

An image of Elbow River flooding at Macleod Trail and Erlton train station.

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