Flood maps help keep people safe and play a critical role in informing emergency response plans and guiding Indigenous community and municipal development decisions.
In the past five years, flood mapping has launched in 100 municipalities and Indigenous communities, according to a provincial release.
Now, seven new flood map studies are underway for the communities of Carbon, Chateh, Crowsnest Pass, Lethbridge Rycroft, Thorsby and Two Hills.
Work will begin immediately, with results expected before the end of next year.
In addition, Alberta is soliciting feedback on four flood map studies nearing completion, including Hinton, Vegreville, Stettler, Red Deer County and Markerville.
Mapping from these studies covers about 250 kilometres of rivers and creeks through seven municipalities, according to the release.
Albertans can provide feedback at floods.alberta.ca until May 12.
All rivers, streams and lakes in Alberta have the potential to flood. Knowing where the water will flow during a flood is critical to understanding where it’s safe to farm, safe to build, and how to best prepare for emergency situations.
“Our government is committed to creating more than 3,000 kilometres of new and updated flood mapping by 2028," said Rebecca Schulz, minister of environment and protected areas
"So far, we’ve completed 1,600 kilometres. This commitment has resulted in more flood maps being finalized in the past five years than in the previous thirty-five years combined. Alberta’s proactive work will help protect communities, families and businesses in the decades to come.”
Tyler Gandam, mayor of Wetaskiwin and president of Alberta Municipalities, noted that, "Our members count on accurate, up-to-date flood maps to guide their communities’ development and assist with their emergency management planning.”Since 2020, the provincial government has released new or updated flood mapping spanning more than 1,600 km.
“Floodwaters do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries, and rural municipalities must plan carefully how to use their limited resources to best protect their residents, businesses and the environment," said Kara Westerlund, president, Rural Municipalities of Alberta.
"Having access to the data provided by these flood maps will enable rural municipalities to plan appropriately and mitigate the impacts of flooding for years to come.”
All finalized and draft flood maps can be found at floods.alberta.ca.
