Flood Hazard Studies in Progress
Six multi-year river hazard studies are currently underway. These studies will identify river hazards and produce new flood inundation and flood hazard maps for the following:
In total, approximately 560 kilometres of river will be studied and mapped.
An informational letter has been sent out to stakeholders in the areas where these studies are being conducted. Workers in the field conducting these studies have copies of this letter, and are able to provide a copy for review if requested.
Program Information
Flood hazard studies and mapping have been produced by the Government of Alberta since the 1970s. Initially there was no formal program associated with this work. In most cases, studies and mapping were provided to communities for information and planning purposes.
The Canada-Alberta Flood Damage Reduction Program was initiated in 1989 between the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada. The program was created to standardize and cost-share production of flood hazard studies and mapping, in order to increase public safety and awareness of flood hazards with an ultimate goal to mitigate flood damages.
The program expired in 1999 before flood hazard studies and mapping were completed for all of the original candidate communities. AEP continues to produce studies and mapping under the separate and independent Flood Hazard Identification Program.
Flood Hazard Identification Program - Fact SheetTo obtain a copy of the Current Flood Hazard Identification Program Guidelines (July 2011) or for more information, please contact: aep.flood@gov.ab.ca
Flood hazard studies include production of a technical report and flood hazard mapping. Although a study may be completed, Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) considers it to be draft until formal finalization is complete. The finalization process includes local authority technical review and public consultation components.
When a study is completed, it’s provided to impacted local authorities, such as towns, cities, counties, and municipal districts. Once a local authority completes its technical review and issues brought forward are addressed by AEP, public consultation proceeds.
Typically, an open house is organized and the draft report and mapping are made available to the public. This gives the public an opportunity to review the study before the open house as well as get information about the mapping directly from AEP and ask questions before finalization at the open house.
Opportunity to provide written comments identifying technical concerns with the draft study and mapping are typically provided for a defined period afterward, either coordinated with an open house or on a stand-alone basis.
Current draft flood hazard studies are available from the map by selecting the Hazard layer, then Draft. Navigate to the community of interest, the click on the flood map for access to all documents. Alternatively, select Draft Flood Hazard Studies from the menu. Please note that report and map PDF file sizes may be large.
For more information about draft flood hazard studies or the finalization process, contact Alberta Environment and Parks at: aep.flood@gov.ab.ca
Banff – Bow River, Echo and Forty Mile Creeks – Draft Flood Hazard Study
Public Feedback and Information
Draft Study Report and Maps
Woodlands (County) and Whitecourt – Athabasca and McLeod Rivers – Draft Flood Hazard Study
Public Feedback and Information
Draft Study Report and Maps
Flood hazard studies document the background information and technical analyses used to delineate flood hazard areas and determine design flood levels along study streams and lakes. They typically include reports and mapping, as well as addendums to document revisions.
Search through available flood hazard studies by Basin, Community or Stream, and view details.
Flood hazard maps define floodway and flood fringe areas for the 1:100 design flood. These maps are typically used for long range planning and to make local land use decisions, and are available to all levels of government and the public to help build resilient communities.
Flood Hazard Area – The flood hazard area is the area of land that will be flooded during the 1:100 design flood. The flood hazard area is typically divided into two zones, the floodway and the flood fringe.
Floodway – The portion of the flood hazard area where flows are deepest, fastest and most destructive. The floodway typically includes the main channel of a stream and a portion of the adjacent overbank area. New development is typically discouraged in the floodway.
Flood Fringe – The portion of the flood hazard area outside of the floodway. Water in the flood fringe is generally shallower and flows more slowly than in the floodway. New development in the flood fringe may be permitted in some communities and should be flood-proofed.
Design Flood – The minimum design standard in Alberta is the 1:100 flood, which is defined as a flood whose magnitude has a 1% chance of being equalled or exceeded in any year. The design flood can also reflect 1:100 ice jam flood levels or be based on a historical flood event.
Flood maps are not available in all communities and flood risks exist in areas without flood mapping.
For more information about flood maps and the provincial Flood Hazard Identification Program please visit www.floodhazard.alberta.ca or email us at aep.flood@gov.ab.ca.
Flood inundation maps show areas at risk for different sized floods, including ice jam floods in some communities. These maps also identify areas that could be flooded if local berms fail, and are typically used for emergency response planning and to inform local infrastructure design.
Flood maps are not available in all communities and flood risks exist in areas without flood mapping.
Older flood studies include maps for as many as three flood scenarios, and newer studies include maps for as many as thirteen scenarios, from the 1:2 flood to the 1:1000 flood. In areas where a selected flood scenario is not available for all studies, other flood scenarios may be also be displayed. Flood maps in the same area may be available for smaller or larger floods.
For more information about flood maps and the provincial Flood Hazard Identification Program please visit www.floodhazard.alberta.ca or email us at aep.flood@gov.ab.ca.
This application displays the results of assessments for the Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) and Alberta Transportation (AT). These assessments included an inventory and risk-based prioritization of hydrogeomorphic hazards in Alberta, Canada. This application displays regional information for general hazard screening purposes only, and should not be used for site specific land use planning, development or mitigation measures design. The information as depicted is subject to change; therefore the Government of Alberta assumes no responsibility for discrepancies at the time of use.
BGC. (2015). Steep Creek Fan Hazard Inventory and Prioritization, Rocky Mountains, Alberta – Final. Edmonton, Alberta: Alberta Environment and Parks.
Flood forecast maps give context to advisories and forecasts by illustrating potential flood areas for smaller and larger flows than expected. These maps are not predictions of flooding for the current forecast flow range, but use pre-existing mapping for other flows to convey what areas could be at risk.
Flood forecast maps are created using pre-existing flood inundation mapping from provincial flood studies. The maps may not be available for all areas with current advisories or flood forecasts.
The potential flood extents shown on the maps are not based on current flows or on any specific flows in the current forecast flow range, but are based on pre-existing mapping for other flows that are smaller or larger than the forecast flow range.
The intent of flood forecast maps is to provide emergency managers and other stakeholders with a general indication of what could be at risk based on a current flood forecast, but they are not a prediction of flooding. The maps show a potential range of risk using floods that are smaller and larger than what is expected based on a current flood forecast flow range.
For clarity and to prioritize illustrating the worst case potential flood condition, protected areas at risk behind flood berms are only shown for the larger flood.
Flood forecast maps are updated as forecasts change and as more information becomes available, both before and during a potential flood event. Please refer to the advisories and flood forecast information found at rivers.alberta.ca for official details on current conditions. For more information about local emergency preparedness and response, please contact your municipality or First Nation administration.
For more information about flood maps and the provincial Flood Hazard Identification Program please visit www.floodhazard.alberta.ca or email us at aep.flood@gov.ab.ca.
For additional and current flood forecast information please visit rivers.alberta.ca.
Flood range maps compare two different sized floods, and help communicate what parts of a community can become at risk as flows change during a flood event. Protected areas at risk behind flood berms are only shown for the larger flood being displayed, but may also exist for the smaller flood.
Flood maps are not available in all communities and flood risks exist in areas without flood mapping.
Older flood studies include maps for as many as three flood scenarios, and newer studies include maps for as many as thirteen scenarios, from the 1:2 flood to the 1:1000 flood. In areas where a selected flood scenario is not available for all studies, other flood scenarios may be also be displayed. Flood maps in the same area may be available for smaller or larger floods.
Flood maps are not available in all communities and flood risks exist in areas without flood mapping.
For more information about flood maps and the provincial Flood Hazard Identification Program please visit www.floodhazard.alberta.ca or email us at aep.flood@gov.ab.ca.
Flood likelihood maps illustrate cumulative flood risk over 30 years. Different sized floods can occur any year, but smaller floods tend to occur more often than larger floods over time. These maps do not show areas protected behind flood berms unless water levels are higher than the berms.
Flood maps are not available in all communities and flood risks exist in areas without flood mapping.
For more information about flood maps and the provincial Flood Hazard Identification Program please visit www.floodhazard.alberta.ca or email us at aep.flood@gov.ab.ca.
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