Timeline of Events: Medicine Hat
On June 23, 2013, shortly after major flooding occurred in Calgary, High River and Canmore, the town of Medicine Hat ordered 10,000 residents to evacuate their homes in low-lying areas. Alongside evacuation orders, were numerous road and bridge closures that were being compromised by high flood waters[1]. This includes two of the town’s three bridges that connect the city’s north and south sides. Once the South Saskatchewan River crested and began to lower, residents were slowly allowed to return home. Nearly 1000 homes, the local city hall and businesses were badly damaged in the flood despite sandbagging and berm building efforts. Nonetheless, last minute attempts to mitigate flooding paid off and resulted in less damage than originally thought.
In an effort to continue reconstruction efforts, the Government of Alberta announced $9.1 million in provincial funding for Medicine Hat to use for flood mitigation measures along the South Saskatchewan River[2]. This included support for flood mitigation projects such as berm and dike building to help to limit future flooding caused by the South Saskatchewan River.
[1] “Medicine Hat braces for disaster after Calgary floods.” CBC News Calgary. Published June 23, 2013. Accessed November 8, 2013. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/medicine-hat-braces-for-disaster-after-calgary-floods-1.1376193
[2] Gallant, Collin. “City in line for $9.1M for flood mitigation.” Medicine Hat News. Published November 8 2013. Accessed November 8, 2013. http://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2013/11/city-in-line-for-9-1m-for-flood-mitigation/