Emily Plihal
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Jan. 9, Peace River town council shared information about upcoming repairs on Pat’s Creek engineering with Northern Sunrise County (NSC) for their approval.
An engineering study was tendered in 2021, with the goal of the study to complete an assessment to determine solutions to flooding that occurs within the town, with the most recent flood occurring in 2020.
“As part of the project to conduct repairs on the Pat’s Creek Viaduct, the Province approved use of part of the budgeted funds to be used to complete an engineering study on ways to mitigate surface water flow that could contribute to flooding of the Pat’s Creek basin,” explains Mayor Elaine Manzer.
“The study was completed in 2022 and presented to both Peace River and Northern Sunrise County councils.”
As part of the Inter-Municipal Development Plan (IDP) between Peace River and Northern Sunrise County, one of their goals is to promote protection areas identified as environmental resources to manage and protect environmentally significant areas.
“The Town has $800,000 in funding for the project engineering with 45 per cent from the federal government, 45 per cent from the provincial government and 10 per cent from the Town,” explains Manzer.
“A public tender will be issued for the engineering design of the concrete or sheet pile dam. The tender will also include the flood control program.”
The final report from the 2021 study recommended solutions of either a concrete or sheet pile dam. The next steps for council is to prepare and issue a public tender for the engineering design, which they feel Northern Sunrise County’s engineer should be included in.
“The Town has received permission from the Province to expend the remaining grant funding for completing the engineering on the flood control dam option to the tender ready state,” says Manzer.
“This project was also included in the council’s approved 2023 capital budget,” she adds.
In planning for a dam, council is starting a flow monitoring program this spring, which was recommended in the engineering report to assist the engineering team in completing the design for either a concrete or sheet pile dam.
“At this point the two options are on the table and the design will be a consequence of the engineering design being tendered,” says Manzer.
“We’ve have had issues with flooding from Pat’s Creek at several times in the town’s history and prevention of future flooding events are a high priority with the town.”
Engineering is expected to be completed later this year for the dam on Pat’s Creek.