October 2016

Work will begin in the coming months on permanent flood protection for residents in the Bottomley Creek area near the Red River.

The $2.2 million project was approved in 2011 and will see the Province contributing 90 per cent of the cost with the RM responsible for the remaining 10 per cent.

"It's great news," Mayor Shelley Hart said.

Stantec Engineering has been contracted for the project.  An initial proposal, which would have seen many of the trees in the area clear cut to accommodate bank stabilization and diking, was deemed inappropriate and now, a solution that will leave the trees mostly in tact, is set to move forward.

A rock-fill berm will be placed along parts of Bottomley Creek to provide erosion protection and slope stability improvements.  This work will begin late this year or early next year and is expected to wrap up March 2017.

Reconstruction of an existing clay dike will begin in summer 2017.  It will be built to meet provincial guidelines for permanent dikes and work is expected to be complete by fall 2017.

The dike will consist of a segmental block wall fascia with a clay core for water retention.  Trees in the area won't be significantly impacted and a robust plan to naturalize and re-vegetate the creek bed is in place.

When complete, the dike and berm will provide flood proofing to properties directly adjacent to Bottomley Creek, and will provide protection against sewer back up for properties in the immediate area west of Henderson Hwy.

The RM will communicate directly with the five homeowners that are directly affected, and will also keep approximately 50 nearby residents apprised of the project's progress. Information on the project will also be available on the Rm's website.