City to repair erosion damage at 4 sites on Glenmore Reservoir

Planning is underway to repair erosion damage at four sites on the Glenmore Reservoir.

The City of Calgary said damage has been noticed near the Calgary Canoe and Rowing clubs, near the Glenmore Sailing School, along a pathway near the community of Bayview and along the bottom of the slope below the Rockyview General Hospital.

It's soliciting bids from companies interested in doing the repairs.

The leader of river engineering for the city, Sandy Davis, said erosion is a natural process on the reservoir as well as along other waterways in Calgary. However, the city intervenes if that erosion poses a threat to infrastructure.

"First, we look at can we remove the infrastructure from where the erosion is occurring and let that process happen. If we can't, if it's not feasible, then we look at how to protect it," said Davis.

For example, the erosion happening along the slope below the Rockyview hospital is getting close to affecting a water intake.

She said it's unclear yet what that scope of that project will include or if perhaps it can be done from a barge in the reservoir itself.

There are various ways the city can address erosion issues.

Davis said that can involve structural options like building concrete walls or placing large rocks to halt the erosion or looking at more natural options like adding vegetation.

She anticipates the work will be done this year and next year.

A key time for the work will be in the spring months as the water level on the reservoir is lowered to make room for spring runoff.

"We'd be aiming at doing the actual construction or the bulk of it during that time, just to make access easier so that operators can work in the dry conditions instead of under the water," said Davis.

The cost of the project isn't known yet as the city is soliciting bids from companies interested in doing the work.