Ausenco brought a fully integrated disciplined approach to the project which ensured that bioengineering designs fully incorporated education, riparian health, landscape and wayfaring priorities and needs.
Overview
In 2013, serious flooding resulted in significant erosion and damage to the banks of the Bow River within the City of Calgary. Following the flood, Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP), Fisheries Habitat Enhancement and Sustainability (FISHES) program and the City of Calgary partnered on a project to design bank reclamation using an appropriate suite of bioengineering approaches and techniques. The project also includes the development of an education plan and integration of bioengineering designs, landscape interfaces and educational needs and themes. Deliverables also include the development of a monitoring and assessment plan to demonstrate the long-term efficacy of the structures over time and a variety of river flow conditions.
The project will result in the design of bioengineering-based restoration methods for over 2km of bank length within the City of Calgary’s downtown core. This project is considered the highest profile and priority in the province’s FISHES program.
Approach
Ausenco was retained to support AEP to achieve its primary objective of fish habitat enhancement and riparian restoration at five flood-affected sites using bioengineering techniques. Our team supported AEP in integrating educational opportunities during the design development to increase the understanding that bioengineering techniques are an effective and ecologically valuable alternative to conventional hard engineering approaches.
The bioengineering approaches used were designed in coordination with our fish experts to ensure fish habitat enhancement was complimentary to AEP’s fisheries management objectives for this section of the Bow River. Our project team took a design approach that maximized aquatic and terrestrial habitat value and biodiversity and focused on the provision of wildlife movement corridors between two major parks, which provide two significant urban wildlife habitat islands. Educational themes and goals were also identified in consultation with key stakeholders and integrated into bioengineering designs as well as landscape designs for the river and pathway interface.
An innovative long-term monitoring plan is being developed to assess the efficacy of bioengineering designs to demonstrate, over time and a range of flow events, the advantages of bioengineering.
Results
Ausenco assembled a technical team with unparalleled knowledge of the Bow River, the project area, and the regulatory environment and requirements. We brought a fully integrated disciplined approach to the project which ensured that bioengineering designs fully incorporated education, riparian health, landscape and wayfaring priorities and needs.