68 Results for flood
Columbia Engineering researchers have demonstrated that stormwater runoff extremes have been dramatically increasing in response to climate change and other anthropogenic changes to the environment. Detailed in the study, Large increase in global storm runoff extremes driven by climate and anthropogenic changes, published in Nature Communications, shows a large increase in…
October 30, 2018 @ 9:42am
On October 10th, 2016, many homeowners in Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) were impacted by a historic storm that dropped over 225 millimetres of rain. The consequent flood of homes and property left many residents across the region vulnerable and strained to recover. As part of the government’s ongoing efforts…
October 01, 2018 @ 11:13am
A new Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) report urges communities to consider green infrastructure to limit their flood risk. IBC collaborated with the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation (Intact Centre) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in this latest insurance industry initiative to help communities address their economic…
September 18, 2018 @ 9:44am
New opinion data finds that long-term water management is top of mind for many British Columbians. The findings are published in the 2018 BC Water Polling Report. Therein, it's reported that 87 per cent of respondents believe the province will face a serious problem if nothing is done to improve the…
September 13, 2018 @ 9:30am
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has raised alarm over the lack of funding being directed towards the impacts of drought, flood, and conflict on the security of people worldwide, especially those already living under vulnerable circumstances. The FAO’s mid-year report raised alarm that some of the world's…
August 13, 2018 @ 11:29am
Last week, the Minister responsible for Saskatchewan's Water Security Agency (WSA), Dustin Duncan, announced a new long-term flood mitigation program for provincial communities. The Flood Damage Reduction Program (FDRP) is intended to be a proactive and preventative mechanism to help communities implement with long-term flood mitigation projects. “Since the start…
August 07, 2018 @ 11:01am
First Nations, provincial, and municipal representatives gathered in Lake Country district of the Okanagan Valley on June 25th, 2018 to share successes, challenges, and lessons learned during this year’s spring freshet and the resultant flooding. The 2018 Flood Recovery meeting was organized by water resources engineer Don Dobson, of Dobson…
June 28, 2018 @ 9:38am
A report released last week by the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board (the Board) has provided a detailed account of the historic 2017 flood and the Board’s actions under Plan 2014 to regulate Lake Ontario outflows in the face of high inflows and record-breaking precipitation. The report, titled Observed Conditions & Regulated Outflows in 2017, found that extreme weather and water supply conditions were the primary…
June 25, 2018 @ 10:56am
As flood waters recede throughout the province, and with another wildfire season on the horizon, the Province of British Columbia and the Canadian Red Cross have announced a new initiative designed to help people and families affected by disaster better transition into long-term disaster recovery. “Catastrophic events like floods and…
June 14, 2018 @ 11:06am
Although a record 693 quarter sections of Saskatchewan agriculture lands were brought into drainage compliance in the 2017–18 fiscal year, Saskatchewan’s Provincial Auditor says there is significant work to do to bring unapproved drainage works into compliance. In her 2018 Report – Volume 1, Chapter 12, Provincial Auditor Judy Ferguson reported that…
June 13, 2018 @ 9:37am
The Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir (SR1), a flood-mitigation project to protect Calgary from a 2013-level flood, has been certified by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) as conforming to the agency’s guidelines. Now the project has entered the final, one-year regulatory approval process. Construction will require three years, with the reservoir…
May 22, 2018 @ 11:45am
Scientists have developed a detailed analysis of how 22 recent hurricanes would be different if they formed under the conditions predicted for the late 21st century. While each storm's transformation would be unique, on balance, the hurricanes would become a little stronger, a little slower-moving, and a lot wetter. In…
May 22, 2018 @ 7:49am
Labatt Breweries of Canada is providing 100,000 cans of emergency drinking water for New Brunswick as part of its Canadian Disaster Relief Program. The water will go to on-the-ground responders in communities along the Saint John River in New Brunswick that have been faced with the worst flooding in decades. Two trucks carrying cases…
May 16, 2018 @ 8:27am
The Canadian Coast Guard will provide assistance with flood relief efforts in New Brunswick, the province announced yesterday. “It is clear that due to flooding there will be houses and families isolated. We will be managing a long and complex event, and we will need to support New Brunswickers in…
May 04, 2018 @ 9:30am
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada has released an emergency notification app, expanding the National Public Alerting System (NPAS) to include smartphones and other such wireless devices. Alert Ready will provide emergency notification to Canadians about potential hazards, such as flash flooding and water contamination. Providing an informative and reliable…
April 06, 2018 @ 11:36am
A new app provides New Brunswickers with access to flood forecast data for the St. John River basin on their mobile devices. The River Watch Mobile app was launched by volunteers at Civic Tech Fredericton, a non-profit group that works to facilitate knowledge sharing and works collaboratively to build digital…
March 23, 2018 @ 10:28am
Canada and Quebec have announced financial support for a project to improve water-related infrastructure in Montreal West. Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce‒Westmount, and Kathleen Weil, Minister Responsible for Access to Information and the Reform of Democratic Institutions, Minister Responsible for Relations with English-Speaking Quebeckers…
January 17, 2018 @ 8:36am
1. Liberal spending Since 2015, the Liberal government has taken bold steps to improve many aspects of water in Canada, clearer communications about science, stronger engagement with First Nations and pledges to end Drinking Water Advisories, and they’ve made it clear that water infrastructure is a top priority, too. So, it’s…
December 22, 2017 @ 11:10am
The Village of Salmo, B.C. has announced the receipt of a grant for $150,000 to cover 100 per cent of the costs of a flood mapping project through the Union of BC Municipalities Community Emergency Preparedness Fund. The grant will be used to develop an institutional understanding of the flood…
December 19, 2017 @ 11:33am
On Monday, the B.C. government has launched an independent review of this year’s unprecedented spring flooding and wildfire seasons. “Wildfires and flooding this year devastated many areas of our province, displacing tens of thousands of people,” said Premier John Horgan. “While we work hard to help the people and communities…
December 06, 2017 @ 10:53am
A group of local organizations have come together to develop the first ever "smart" stormwater technology pilot focused on reducing the risk of basement flooding during extreme weather events. The stormwater technology pilot is a partnership project which includes the Environment Network, Greenland Engineering Consultants, Huronia Security and Monitoring, The Town of…
November 16, 2017 @ 8:30am
Ville de Gatineau has received a positive response from Quebec's ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Occupation du territoire (MAMOT) to its request for a collective waiver. That waiver is for the reconstruction of flood affected homes considered total losses owing to the spring flooding in May 2017. During the spring floods,…
November 14, 2017 @ 10:10am
Higher-than-normal freshet flows in spring 2017 caused changes to Mission Creek in Kelowna, B.C. that require repair and refinement of the floodplain and fish habitat restoration work completed in 2016. [caption id="attachment_5000042787" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Mission Creek 2017 Flood. Image Credit: Jan Vozenilek.[/caption] The Mission Creek Greenway dike on the south side of…
November 10, 2017 @ 10:32am
Newfoundland and Labrador has released the report from an independent assessment of the flooding event that occurred at the Mud Lake community on May 17th, 2017. Shortly after the event, Dr. Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt was engaged as an Independent Expert Technical Advisor (IETA) to determine the reasons for the flooding event,…
October 03, 2017 @ 10:22am
A recent study conducted by researchers at the Global Institute for Water Security has analyzed river ice models to develop a better understanding of modelling mechanics and, consequently, how to manage river ice. The study, Improved Understanding of River Ice Processes Using Global Sensitivity Analysis Approaches, used a new framework,…
October 02, 2017 @ 11:06am
The Town of Minto, Ontario, population 8,300, experienced a significant rainfall event during the early morning hours of June 23, 2017. The rainfall resulted in widespread flooding throughout the Town of Harriston. A declaration of an emergency was made by Mayor Bridge at 10:04 hours on June 23 which lasted…
September 15, 2017 @ 12:42pm
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has reported that spring 2017 storm and flooding events in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec resulted in more than $223 million in insured damage, according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). "Climate change is causing severe weather events, especially storms involving floods, to happen more frequently and with greater intensity. While the…
September 05, 2017 @ 10:39am
The Government of British Columbia has announced a Level 4 drought rating for the Coldwater River watershed and a Level 3 drought rating for the Salmon River watershed. The province is urging all water users, including residents, industry, farmers, and municipalities, to reduce water consumption as much as possible. The…
August 24, 2017 @ 10:29am
CatIQ and Aon Impact Forecasting have entered into an agreement whereby Aon Impact Forecasting’s Canadian flood footprints will be made available as a layer on CatIQ’s CatHUB module for the benefit of CatIQ’s users effective immediately. “Aon Impact Forecasting’s Canadian flood footprints for events which hit Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia…
August 14, 2017 @ 10:07am
The Government of Alberta has begun implementing the advice from a report that identifies ways to improve flood resilience in Calgary and better manage water throughout the Bow River basin. The Bow River Water Management Project report, produced by the Bow River Working Group, represents a first step in building…
August 14, 2017 @ 9:48am
In May, flooding of the Churchill River at Mud Lake, Newfoundland & Labrador, caused the community to evacuate the area and extensive damage to property. The province has announced the appointment of a representative who will investigate the cause of the flooding, with many residents pointing to the Muskrat Falls…
July 17, 2017 @ 11:45am
Yesterday, the City of Toronto released an updated report on the flooding of Toronto Island, which indicates that water levels around the island are still about 30 centimetres above the pre-flood conditions of early April and not expected to significantly subside until later in the summer. "The high lake levels…
July 11, 2017 @ 10:46am
The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction reports that better coordination and enforcement of municipal efforts to curb private lot flood risk is needed. The report, released in May, found that to better manage inflow and infiltration (I&I) of private residences, municipalities should empower coordination and enforcement measures. “Mandatory measures,” wrote authors…
June 14, 2017 @ 1:14pm
The City of Edmonton has announced forward motion on its flood mitigation strategy, which will focus on flood risk, potential costs, and schedules outlined for residential areas and underpasses As the next step in the city’s examination of upgrades to drainage infrastructure, staff will outline flood mitigation options in two…
June 05, 2017 @ 4:43pm
London, Ontario, will make a major investment in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure to help basements stay dry and reduce the amount of effluent entering the Thames River. The Government of Canada announced more than $18 million and the Government of Ontario announced more than $9 million for investment in London…
May 25, 2017 @ 10:25am
British Columbia has announced that Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is now available to eligible British Columbians in the central region who may have been impacted from the flooding that began on May 4th, 2017. DFA is available to home owners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations, and local…
May 08, 2017 @ 1:03pm
The City of Markham, Ontario, has urged the insurance industry to consider city flood control measures when setting home insurance rates. Over the past three years, home insurance costs have increased across Canada, and in Markham, by approximately 15 to 20 per cent. During that time, the city has that…
April 28, 2017 @ 9:46am
Alberta and the province of Guangdong in southern China have signed a landmark agreement to strengthen ties and facilitate trade between the two jurisdictions as Guangdong works to become one of China’s top performers in improving water quality. Premier Rachel Notley signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of…
April 25, 2017 @ 9:17am
Manitoba released its 2017 budget, yesterday, which includes $60 million for water infrastructure and $15 million for maintenance and preservation of water related assets. The budget also outlined the province’s intention to develop a tailored climate and environmental framework based on principles of sustainable development. “It will offer approaches to…
April 12, 2017 @ 12:35pm
On Wednesday, Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver, announced its partnership with 100 Resilient Cities and with representatives from 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) – pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation – formally named its first chief resilience officer, Katie McPherson. Through the support of 100RC, McPherson will lead the development of the…
April 06, 2017 @ 11:16am
The Province of Manitoba released its March flood outlook on the 24th, which stated that levels of spring flooding continue to be dependent on future weather conditions. However, the outlook also suggested that the risk of overland flooding is slightly reduced since the February outlook, though it remains moderate to…
March 29, 2017 @ 7:36am
The Alberta government announced on World Water Day that it will invest nearly $12 million in multi-year grants for watershed planning and advisory councils, including the Alberta Water Council. Each year for the next three years, Alberta will distribute $3.2 million per year among 11 watershed councils for them to…
March 23, 2017 @ 8:35am
In Canada, overland flooding costs the Canadian economy more than any other kind of natural hazard. It is the single largest draw on the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA). In an effort to improve Canada's resiliency to flooding, the federal government has released the first of a series of guidelines…
March 07, 2017 @ 2:50pm
The International Joint Commission (IJC) today announced that it has appointed a bi-national study board to undertake the work outlined in Option B of the 2013 Plan of Study to more fully explore the causes, impacts, risks, and solutions to flooding in the Lake Champlain-Richelieu River basin. The Study Board’s research will…
February 22, 2017 @ 7:57am
The latest survey of snowpack in British Columbia shows that there has been below-average accumulation in the province’s watersheds, reports the River Forecast Centre (RFC). Snowpack was 79 per cent of what is expected for February 1st, according to the latest Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin from the RFC.…
February 09, 2017 @ 12:34pm
Manitoba has released its 2017 January Conditions Report, which indicates that normal to well-above normal soil moisture and winter precipitation to date, combined with future unfavourable weather conditions, will result in the risk of moderate to major overland flooding across the province. The province’s Infrastructure Minister, Blaine Pedersen, announced: “We…
January 30, 2017 @ 11:33am
A report from the CBC has brought to a light a poll conducted on behalf of Public Safety Canada in summer 2016, which found that 40 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: “The government will take care of me and my home if there’s major overland flooding.” The…
January 25, 2017 @ 9:36am
Power outages, groundwater contamination, and telecommunications disruptions are the top three climate-change hazards identified by New Brunswick municipalities in a Community Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCCVA) released today by WWF-Canada. For the first time, communities in the St. John River watershed have come together to determine their vulnerabilities to climate change.…
January 19, 2017 @ 10:03am
From the wildfires that swept through Fort McMurray in May to the floods that devastated parts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland over Thanksgiving weekend, severe weather had a huge impact on Canadians in 2016. According to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification (CatIQ), insured damage for 2016 topped $4.9 billion—smashing the previous…
January 09, 2017 @ 8:22am
The Alberta government has announced an additional $31 million in funding for the Alberta Community Resilience Program (ACRP) and $14 million for the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP). The flood and drought resiliency grant programs proved to have high demand. To date, more than $100 million has been invested…
December 19, 2016 @ 8:16am
On November 9th, Edmonton announced a $107,081,000 stormwater management project and, on the same day, released a preliminary study on flood mitigation throughout the city. Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton, announced the stormwater management project in the city. Funding will be contributed…
November 10, 2016 @ 9:13am
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Thursday its first-ever reinsurance agreement under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The agreement will allow the NFIP to share flood risk with private reinsurance companies to help defray the cost of claims from large and unexpected insured events, such as large hurricanes,…
September 23, 2016 @ 11:32am
July 19 and 20, 2016 mark the 20th anniversary of the devastating flood that left $300 million worth of damage in Quebec, known as Déluge du Saguenay. When the flood event began, it rained everyday in Quebec's Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region for two weeks. Rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and soils became engorged with water.…
July 20, 2016 @ 1:37pm
New studies out today show there’s a growing risk of a large-magnitude flood in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, and that if a major Fraser River or coastal flood were to occur between now and 2100, it would trigger losses estimated at $20 to 30 billion—and become the most costly natural…
June 13, 2016 @ 1:44pm
At a meeting hosted by the Economic Club of Canada in Calgary this week, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) told the audience that Canada needs a national flood program. "Extreme weather events driven by climate change have increased in frequency and severity," said Don Forgeron, president and CEO, IBC. "Storms…
November 27, 2015 @ 9:13am
The Alberta government has announced a funding commitment for new flood protection measures along the Bow and Elbow Rivers. The measures are intended to protect Calgarians and upstream communities from the type of severe flooding that occurred in June 2013. The province has committed $297 million as well as $150…
November 02, 2015 @ 7:02am
The Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) and Water for Life have announced the recipients of grants to support drinking water and wastewater projects across the province. Over $24 million has been provided by the Alberta government to ensure that Albertans living from northeast to southwest will have access to safe…
September 24, 2015 @ 11:39am
Alberta is taking steps to better prepare communities for potential drought and severe floods, such as the heavy rainfall that devastated Calgary and other parts of Alberta in 2013. The province has launched a new grant program to assist municipalities in protecting residents, property, and infrastructure in the event of…
June 11, 2014 @ 2:06pm
The Canadian Water Network (CWN) is investing nearly $200,000 in a research project aimed at addressing the disproportionate burden First Nations communities in Canada face in terms of unsafe drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, as well as drought and flood risks. The research will investigate methods of integrating western…
May 12, 2014 @ 7:53am
[caption id="attachment_8785" align="alignright" width="372" caption="Photo: Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs"][/caption] With floods expected to worsen with the spring thaw, the Canadian Red Cross is ready to ramp up its response for families who have been evacuated in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. "The Canadian Red Cross is a leader in disaster response…
April 28, 2011 @ 10:18am
[caption id="attachment_8685" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Dustin Duncan, Saskatchewan's Minister of Environment."][/caption] Uptake for the Emergency Flood Damage Reduction Program has been very strong, Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Watershed Authority Dustin Duncan announced last week. Since the program was announced on February 22, there have been more than 500 requests for assistance…
April 11, 2011 @ 9:08am
The Manitoba government has set aside a total of $740,000 to conduct feasibility studies for future permanent, community flood-protection dikes in 11 municipalities for consideration, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick announced yesterday. “The value of community ring dikes in the Red River Valley has been proven several times and these…
April 08, 2011 @ 3:22pm
Manitoba will invest $22 million in equipment and technology to improve flood-fighting capacity and preparedness as it faces the potential for widespread spring flooding, Premier Greg Selinger announced today. About $21 million of the funding will go towards acquiring resources and equipment as required to further support the level of…
January 24, 2011 @ 3:01pm
[caption id="attachment_7841" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The screen capture shows an area near the Village of Gagetown in lower Saint John River Valley."][/caption] A new wetland predictive tool will soon be part of the GeoNB Map Viewer, New Brunswick's free internet-based application for viewing maps and aerial photos of the province. Available…
January 14, 2011 @ 11:10am
The federal government will cost share eligible territorial expenditures incurred by Nunavut through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements for flood damage caused by snowmelt and heavy rains in June 2008. Over a twelve-hour period on June 8 and 9, 2008, accelerated snowmelt and heavy rains caused flooding in the community…
July 09, 2009 @ 11:17am
[caption id="attachment_1375" align="alignleft" width="589" caption="Red River of the North Main Stem, Grand Forks, North Dakota, looking toward Downtown area. Taken from a helicopter during the 1997 Red River Flood, after a levee overtopped and Grand Forks was evacuated. The major flood along the Red River of the North in North…
March 24, 2009 @ 11:57am
[caption id="attachment_1312" align="alignleft" width="360" caption=" From left: Mac Dunfield, senior Atlantic director, Ducks Unlimited Canada; Natural Resources Minister Wally Stiles; and Graham."][/caption] The New Brunswick government will contribute $1.5 million to a new fund dedicated to maintaining the province's wetlands, Premier Shawn Graham announced yesterday. The Wetlands Sustainability Fund will enable…
March 13, 2009 @ 7:08am
News
Flooding in the GTA leads to overflows at the banks of the Humber River as snow melts and warnings from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. At the same time, last night's flood at Toronto’s Union Station led to escalator waterfalls and evacuation. Lucky for commuters like yours truly, the…
February 12, 2009 @ 11:30am