Canmore flood protection dam now in place at Cougar Creek

A new dam is now in place to protect Canmore from flooding more than a decade after the usually tame Cougar Creek overflowed, causing tens of millions of dollars in damages to the mountain town.

The province and the town about 80 kilometres west of Calgary said Thursday the new Cougar Creek debris flood retention structure will defend Canmore from mountain debris and significantly reduce water flows in the event of a severe flood.

The 34-metre-high, rock-filled flood mitigation structure sits about 600 metres upstream of Canmore's Cougar Creek neighbourhood.

While some finishing touches remain to be done — such as the creation of educational signage and landscaping to be completed in 2025 — the dam is now functional.

Canmore, along with much of southern Alberta, was hit by devastating flood waters in 2013, destroying homes and washing out highways. 

Felled trees, giant boulders and other debris swept down the hillside, carving out 130,000 square metres of the creek bed and banks.

The province said it provided about $46 million in funding for the $72.7-million project. The federal government provided about $14.5 million in funding.

The construction and design was led by the Town of Canmore, which contributed $12.3 million to the project. It will protect homes, commercial buildings and highways 1 and 1A, as well as railway and utility infrastructure, the province said.

Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert extended his gratitude to the provincial and federal governments for helping to fund the project.

"For generations to come, the structure will serve as a crucial part of Canmore's flood mitigation strategy to make our community better prepared when future flood waters rise," Krausert said.

Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz said the dam's completion marks an important milestone for the town.

"The Cougar Creek debris flood retention structure is now in place to help ensure the safety of people living, working and visiting Canmore and prevent a repeat of the destruction seen in the 2013 floods," Schulz said.

The Alberta government also approved a $9.5-million grant to Canmore and the Municipal District of Bighorn in 2020 for the Bow Valley Steep Creek Mitigation Program. That funding will support debris flood mitigation projects on several creeks in both municipalities, the province said.