Province selects consultant for Eyremore Dam study

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The Alberta authorities has chosen a marketing consultant to organize a report on whether or not it’s possible to construct a brand new reservoir close to Brooks.

The province introduced Monday afternoon that Hatch Ltd. will full the research on the Eyremore Dam, which might be constructed alongside the Bow River.

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As a part of final yr’s finances, the Alberta authorities has earmarked $5 million for the research.

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“We’re taking a whole-government strategy to managing and sustaining provincial water administration infrastructure programs to ensure Albertans have entry to the water they want once they want it,” stated RJ Sigurdson, minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, in a Monday assertion.

“We’re dedicated to analyzing whether or not the Eyremore Dam could be constructed and operated for a price that gives true worth to Albertans.”

If the mission goes forward, the reservoir could be situated about 43 kilometres downstream of the Bassano Dam, east of Brooks and Lake Newell.

“Proper now, we’re restricted in our collective means to handle water successfully and this research will look at how the proposed reservoir can right that,” stated Richard Phillips, basic supervisor of Bow River Irrigation District, in a Monday assertion.

“A brand new multi-purpose reservoir at this location would revolutionize water administration within the South Saskatchewan River Basin.”

Final October, Phillips informed Postmedia that irrigation districts, southern Alberta municipalities and different stakeholders advocating for the Eyremore Dam’s building envision that the brand new reservoir could be owned and operated by the Alberta authorities.

“That’s what’s lacking on the Bow River when it comes to water administration is any provincially managed storage,” stated Phillips final fall.

The mission has been mentioned because the Sixties and is at the very least a decade away from being constructed, he informed Postmedia.

Hatch will start the research instantly, with the corporate’s report due in spring 2025.

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