Environment Report & News

By: Jan Korinek

Weir Project (Harvie Passage Project) Update - Mac Hickley

From discussions at recent Weir Management meetings, here is the latest news...

- As you all know from years of involvement and interest in the project, it has been very carefully designed and comprehensively engineered to work as a complete system, as has the phased construction sequence -- so please remember this.

CRITICAL MESSAGE: The project is not finished and is not safe -- the river will not be open to the public until after all construction is complete (est. 2011) and its performance has been thoroughly tested and approved. Do not attempt to "pre-test" any of the features under any circumstances!

The first season of in-river construction has been completed on schedule:

• The concrete extension to the fishway wall is finished.
• The first 4m-long piece of concrete "fillet" has been added to the trailing edge of the weir itself, adjacent to the fishway wall; this reverses the direction of the rolling hydraulic wave downstream of the weir, but it does not eliminate the large turbulence-creating "jump."

This season's in-river construction is set to commence immediately:

• New coffer dams will be constructed this summer.
• The river will flow over the weir and then be diverted to the right river bank, all the way past High Water Channel
• ("HWC") Drop #4. (NB: HWC is the Deerfoot side)
• HWC Drops #3 and 4 will be built over this coming fall and winter.
• HWC Drop #4 will be the first feature constructed and it involves the deepest water and biggest boulders.
• The portage route around the weir (on river right) has a new detour: river users must now portage along the regional pathway all the way around the fenced area, to re-launch south of the construction zone.
• The pathway along river left (Deerfoot side) will be closed all summer (2009) as construction resumes in earnest -- please keep away from this area at all times.
• Conceptual planning for the "Art Component" has begun and the selected artist is hoping to engage all stakeholders in a discussion in September -- stay tuned...
• The scope and extent of landscaping work is still open and could be expanded if additional funds are found (...hint...).

RAIN BARREL SALE Continued

We still have some rain barrels left. Please contact Jan at 403.992.1144 or jkorinek.ica@gmail.com to arrange for payment and pick up. Again, the cost of a rain barrel is $64.85. This is down from $89.00. That's 25% off. They come with a 4 inch inlet opening on top with a mosquito proof screen, a watering tap near the bottom and an overflow tap near the top. We only have white barrels left. These barrels were purchased from Pepsi and were retrofitted with the equipment listed above. So you're not only saving money on outdoor water use, you're also recycling some heavy duty plastic barrels. This is a huge deposit in everyone's karma bank! If you've already purchased one, spread the word to your neighbours. I bought two and put them on my garage. They're full and have been emptied and filled a few times over now with the rain we've been getting. I've noticed that the plants prefer warmer, non chlorinated water. My Chocolate Mint plant has stopped giving me dirty looks since the switch! Thanks to those who helped with the initial sale at the Hall in particular Monica, Kevin, and Corrine at the Hall. You guys rock.