Province inviting you to have your say on Springbank Reservoir land use

Albertans are invited to shape how the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir is used when not full of water.

The government says the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir is currently under construction west of Calgary to help protect Calgary and other downstream communities from future floods. Officials say the reservoir will be constructed as a dry reservoir, meaning that it will only store water in emergencies, not year-round. This means much of the land within the reservoir can be used for purposes other than flood management most of the time, say government officials.

The Alberta government says it has created a draft land-use plan based on discussions with local community groups, First Nations and others. All Albertans are now able to provide input on this plan and share their thoughts on how they think this land should be used when the reservoir isn’t full of water.

“The Springbank Off-stream Reservoir is critical to protecting Calgary and other communities from future floods, but there are other uses too,” says Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas. “This is a unique dam, and we want to hear your thoughts on how these lands should be used when not flooded. I look forward to hearing from Indigenous communities and all Albertans over the next four weeks.”