Mountain View County has completed the critical first phase of the four-kilometre berm designed to stop overland flooding from a new channel of the Red Deer River upstream of Sundre.Prentice Creek Contracting carried out the work between Oct. 19 and 24 after submitting the lowest bid, at $90,237.Factoring in land purchases, compensation for land disturbance and other costs, the first stage of the project will come in close to the $200,000 approved by council in late September, Ryan Morrison, manager of infrastructure projects and technical services, said last week.The main work was constructing 270 metres of berm without armouring at the easternmost point where the land slopes toward Sundre. About 50 metres of ìstitchesî or fill were also put in place on other properties, Morrison said.The first phase was considered the minimum structural protection needed to safeguard against downstream flooding after spring breakup. County officials are awaiting a firm provincial funding commitment before proceeding with later stages of the project.The total estimated cost of the complete 4,190-metre berm with armouring is $2.54 million.The new channel broke out in late June just below the Molmac subdivision, about seven kilometres southwest of Sundre, causing flooding on range roads 61 and 60.Initially, water from the new channel ñ flowing up to half a kilometre north of the established riverbed ñ migrated west to the gates of Coyote Creek Resort and filled the five culverts on the Sundre Airport property.Within four days, the county created a temporary berm by constructing an armoured ìquad trailî on private land.Except during the 2005 flood, the northern channel had reportedly been dry since 1952.
