Bow River Flood and Drought Protection - Reservoir Options

Official title: Bow River Reservoir Options engagement

Closed Community Planning Environment & Climate Natural Resources
Alberta asked residents for input on options to reduce flooding and drought along the Bow River. The consultation is now complete. Based on public feedback, the government chose the Relocated Ghost Dam option and is moving forward with engineering and regulatory approvals.

Why This Matters

Live along the Bow River? This affects your flood risk. The 2013 Calgary floods caused billions in damage and displaced thousands. Better water storage could protect homes and businesses while also securing water supply during droughts.

What Could Change

The Relocated Ghost Dam will move forward to engineering design and regulatory approval. This means a new or expanded dam structure on the Bow River. Construction could take years and will require environmental assessments and land acquisitions.

Key Issues

  • Which reservoir option best balances flood protection, drought mitigation, and environmental impacts?
  • What are the socio-economic impacts of each option on local communities?
  • How should environmental concerns be addressed in the feasibility assessment?

How to Participate

  1. This consultation is now closed. Review the What We Heard Report to see how public feedback shaped the decision.
  2. For questions about the ongoing Ghost Reservoir Infrastructure Project, contact tec.ghostreservoir@gov.ab.ca.

What Happened

Public feedback helped assess options to mitigate flood and drought impacts on the Bow River. Based on the feasibility study and input received, the Relocated Ghost Dam was selected as the preferred option and will advance to Phase 3: Engineering and regulatory approval process.