Alberta Flood Watch 2013

[photon]

Where's the "My property value is now zero" option?

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by Kavy

Very clear and easy to understand, but I have one issue: future home owners.

I own my house in a flood fringe, take the DRP money, but do not flood proof my home.

I turn and sell my house, whose responsibility is it to the new home owner to let them know they won't be able to get help in the future. The Realtor? Could you sue your Realtor if they failed to inform you?

I read somewhere that it will be noted on the title.

[troutman]

2010 study warned of more frequent flooding in Calgary

Report suggested 'worst case' wouldn't be as bad as earlier predictions

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...712/story.html

Provincial and city officials were warned three years ago that climate change could cause Calgary to suffer more frequent and devastating floods.

The existence of the previously unreleased study by Golder Associates and some of the findings it contains about historic inundations in Calgary appear to contradict statements made by Alberta’s Conservative government in the wake of the recent floods.

“I want to stress that what Alberta has experienced in this past week was unprecedented,” Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Minister Diana McQueen told reporters on June 25.

“No report or recommendation looking at the lessons of the past could have prepared us for this event.”

But the 2010 study, like larger ones done previously for the province, show that the Bow River in Calgary was hit with estimated peak flows in both 1879 and 1897 that were 30 per cent higher than what the city experienced four weeks ago.

The highest flow on June 21 of 1,740 cubic metres per second was only slightly more than the downward-revised 1-in-100 year event that Golder Associates predicted and over 11 per cent smaller than what the province’s 1983 study said was probable once a century.

Calgary Flood Damage an Outcome of Poor Policy not Climate Change or Global Warming says Friends of Science
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10908388.htm

[Slava]

Two approaches to the problem of flooding were brought up today. The Wildrose wants to see both a cap on damages as well as having people move away from the flood areas. They also want to build some sort of spillway to deal with the future.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...g.html?cmp=rss

The Liberals want to create an insurance program to protect against future flooding.
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-s-...gram-1.1372737

I think its comical that the Wildrose is suggesting they'd have done anything leading up to this. I criticized them during the election because they wanted to hack the natural disaster spending that was budgeted at $500m down to $100m. Of course now they are saying the government should've acted on an old flood mitigation strategy and things like that. Pretty clearly, the Wildrose wouldn't have acted any differently in this regard, except that they'd have $400m less that was budgeted to deal with it.

[FlamesKickAss]

Anyone have any details on hampton hills in high river? I heard it was evacuated today due to it being condemned but can't find any info as to why or what's going on

[Dion]

The Alberta Government is supporting the Town of High River's reconstruction efforts by hiring a local company that specializes in emergency responses and rebuilding.

Effective immediately, the Alberta Flood Recovery Task Force has contracted Calgary-based Tervita to assist High River in its recovery. Tervita was instrumental in helping the Calgary Stampede recover from the flood in time to welcome visitors. The company will work closely with the task force and town officials to help determine recovery and reconstruction priorities.

“We said government would keep supporting High River and hiring Tervita and the specialized expertise it has is another way we’re honouring that commitment,” said Rick Fraser, Associate Minister of Recovery and Reconstruction for High River. “Tervita will hit the ground running and provide immediate support to town staff where it is needed including community services such as waste removal.”

“This is exactly the kind of specialized help our residents need to get us headed in the right direction,” said High River Mayor Emile Blokland. “I look forward to continuing our rebuilding efforts and thank the province for its ongoing support. We’re committed to returning our community to its normal state.”

Tervita’s six month contract will allow government time to work with the town to develop a longer-term plan to rebuild and protect High River. In High River, Tervita will plan, manage and execute services related to water and soil testing and treatment, demolition and the potential construction of temporary flood-protection measures.

http://www.highriver.ca/index.php/en...r-step-forward

[SebC]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

As of right now our houses are worthless in flood fringe. Who would buy our house not knowing the answers to the last few posts above? They are marked houses, with no real idea of their worth right now. Basically no one is moving out of here (possibly to high ground) anytime soon, everyone is stuck until the gov't makes up their mind.

Worth less, not worthless. You wouldn't give away the title to your home, would you?

[Canada 02]

Special RUSH t-shirt design just for Red Deer Benefit Concert- ALL PROCEEDS from the sale of this t-shirt will go to ALBERTA FLOOD RELIEF.



http://www.rushbackstage.com/rushbac...d-t-shirt.html

[woob]

Can't wait!!

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Slava

Two approaches to the problem of flooding were brought up today. The Wildrose wants to see both a cap on damages as well as having people move away from the flood areas. They also want to build some sort of spillway to deal with the future.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...g.html?cmp=rss

The picture that comes with this article is amazing. You've got the two guys in the black suits looking at Smith like they want to take her away to a dark room. Then you've got the older guy on the left wearing jeans and an oversized beige blazer thing. Awesome.

Anyway, I'd love to see how they propose to build this spillway/reservoir system to divert water...and how much it would cost the Redford government.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Slava

Two approaches to the problem of flooding were brought up today. The Wildrose wants to see both a cap on damages as well as having people move away from the flood areas. They also want to build some sort of spillway to deal with the future.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...g.html?cmp=rss

The Liberals want to create an insurance program to protect against future flooding.
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-s-...gram-1.1372737

I think its comical that the Wildrose is suggesting they'd have done anything leading up to this. I criticized them during the election because they wanted to hack the natural disaster spending that was budgeted at $500m down to $100m. Of course now they are saying the government should've acted on an old flood mitigation strategy and things like that. Pretty clearly, the Wildrose wouldn't have acted any differently in this regard, except that they'd have $400m less that was budgeted to deal with it.

It will be a sad day and era if the Wild Rose are ever in power.

I actually fear the damage they'd do in the short time they'd have control. I hope to never see that day in my lifetime.

[chemgear]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ca...073/story.html

Concerns were raised by residents who either sustained damage due to the erosion at Cougar Creek, lost vacation properties in the area or felt they won’t be compensated for the full cost of their luxury homes.

“The policy put in place by the government is basically BS,” said resident Benny Ryan, noting it punishes people with expensive or second homes.

Officials with the province said vacation homes won’t be compensated by the disaster recovery program, which covers only primary residences at the cost of an average home in the community.

[worth]

Focus on primary homes. Once that is taken care of, if there is funding available for secondary homes, then we can review it. It should not even be a discussion at the moment. We need to be focusing on helping the people who have completely lost their primary home, lost their main floor where the kitchen and other necessities are and then people who lost their basements. Not before then should we consider funding for secondary houses.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by worth

Focus on primary homes. Once that is taken care of, if there is funding available for secondary homes, then we can review it. It should not even be a discussion at the moment. We need to be focusing on helping the people who have completely lost their primary home, lost their main floor where the kitchen and other necessities are and then people who lost their basements. Not before then should we consider funding for secondary houses.

I often wonder how many of these second home owners lost their primary residence.......

[kevman]

Has anyone had an indoor air quality test performed? How much did it cost and were you happy with your contractor? I've been calling around for quotes and they all seem to be in the $700-$1,000 range. This seems high to me but perhaps it's the going rate?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

It will be a sad day and era if the Wild Rose are ever in power.

I actually fear the damage they'd do in the short time they'd have control. I hope to never see that day in my lifetime.

The way the PC party shoved MLA George Groenveld and his 2006 flood study/reccomendations under the rug, I hope they are gone next election. All the building on flood planes since 2006 could have been stopped.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Dion

The way the PC party shoved MLA George Groenveld and his 2006 flood study/reccomendations under the rug, I hope they are gone next election. All the building on flood planes since 2006 could have been stopped.

Are you suggesting the Wild Rose would have done better for environmental controls? ... because probably not.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by nik-

Are you suggesting the Wild Rose would have done better for environmental controls? ... because probably not.

Of course not. Hind sight is 20/20 and it's easy for the opp party to say they would have done things differently. I'm just peod that the Groenveld study was not acted on. There are developments in High River that never would have been able to go ahead if building on a flood plane was banned. Now taxpayers are on the hook for buying out more homeowners than they should be.

[OldDutch]

Not very detailed article, but province outlines flood mitigation measures. Going to try and find more detailed info.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/07/28...in-flood-zones

EDIT: here we go.

http://alberta.ca/Flood-Mitigation.cfm

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Not very detailed article, but province outlines flood mitigation measures. Going to try and find more detailed info.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/07/28...in-flood-zones

EDIT: here we go.

http://alberta.ca/Flood-Mitigation.cfm

Can someone explain this to me, if the province is paying ~$120/sqft, a typical 1800sqft house if going to get over $215,000? Seems super high, or am I misunderstanding the way this works.