Recent letter to Federal Minister of the Environment

The Honourable Christine Stewart, MP
Minister of the Environment
Environment Canada

Honorable Minister Stewart:

Flood Damage Reduction


Flooding, and the damage associated with it, is a problem in Canada.
Early settlement along rivers has resulted in several municipalities
being in flood plains. The consequences of flooding have become more
severe with increasing population and development pressures in areas
prone to flooding.

The nation's media frequently depict flooding in Canada and around the
world. Major Canadian floods along the Sagueney River in 1996 and the
Red River this year captured national headlines and has focussed
attention on a problem that occurs in every region of Canada to some
extent every year.

Flooding and its effects vary in time and place. The extent of social
and community disruption brought on by flooding, and the cost of flood
damage depend on several factors including: the size of the flood, the
depth and velocity of the floodwater, the land-use pattern, flood
awareness, the effective warning time, the rate of rise of the
floodwaters, the evacuation or rescue procedures that are in place,
and flood-borne debris and sediment.

Measures can be carried out to reduce the likelihood or severity of
future flood damage. The selection of appropriate flood damage
reduction measures should be based on the characteristics and
severity of the flood problem, the physical features of the watershed,
the nature and extent of development on the flood plain, and the
economic conditions of the region. Canadian civil engineering
consultants have the education and experience to incorporate these
factors into the planning and designing flood water diversion
channels, levees and flood storage reservoirs to reduce flood damages.


Structural measures to reduce flood damages include levees, floodwater
diversion channels, and storage reservoirs. Structural flood control
measures are often very effective in reducing flood damages, for
example the floodwater diversion channel around the city of Winnipeg,
Manitoba, Canada, during the Red River Flood of 1997.

The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering recognizes that structural
measures involve high construction and maintenance costs, and may
frequently give a false sense of security so as to encourage
continuing development on the flood plain. Therefore, CSCE
suggests that non-structural damage reduction, including flood risk
mapping and flood forecasting/warning services, should also be a major
component of flood damage reduction efforts in this country. Canadian
civil engineers have, and continue to, provide expertise with respect
to non-structural measures such as flood plain delineation, assessment
of flood risk, and flood forecasting. They also participate as
effective members of multi-disciplinary teams developing land use and
financial restrictions with respect to future flood plain development.

The federal government has a lead role to play in flood damage
reduction efforts in this country. The reasons for government
involvement should be intended to protect public health and safety, to
reduce public expenditures for the repair of flood damage to public
and private property, to minimize the contamination of water with
hazardous materials or other contaminants present on the flood plain,
to reduce expenditures related to emergency response during a flood,
and to recognize and protect the environmental and ecological
qualities of the flood plain. Environment Canada can provide
information to the public so that individuals can make informed
decisions regarding the location of new development, to reduce costs
to the private sector for damage due to flooding. In addition,
Environment Canada could play a lead federal role in revitalizing
national programs aimed at flood damage reduction.


The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) recommends that
Environment Canada take the lead role in revising and revitalizing the
national flood damage reduction program in order to reduce future
flood losses and to provide increased protection for the citizens of
Canada. This will require a commitment toward leadership, and also, a
possible re-allocation of resources. The revitalized program should
be comprehensive in nature, incorporating updating of existing flood
risk mapping, delineation of additional flood risk areas, improved
means of issuing flood forecasts and warnings, planning and design of
flood diversion channels, and land use planning controls. In all
these cases, the expertise of Canadian engineers can play an important
part in a national flood damage reduction program.

Data is required to assess and mitigate a flood hazard. The Canadian
Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) recommends that Environment
Canada improve its networks of water quantity measurement stations
upstream of major flood plains and of water level monitoring stations
in flood -prone areas. Such basic data collection is essential if
flood characteristics are to be understood and if planning or
designing flood damage reduction measures.

The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) recommends that
floodproofing be an integral part of future flood damage reduction
efforts in Canada. We define floodproofing as any combination of
structural and non-structural additions, changes or adjustments to
structures and to our national infrastructure that eliminate or reduce
the potential for flood damages. Floodproofing may be an economically
viable means of reducing the potential for flood damages where
alternative means of flood damage reduction are not feasible. It is
suggested that Environment Canada, in cooperation with other
government agencies, develop national guidelines for floodproofing
residential and non-residential structures. These guidelines should
define the approach to acceptable floodproofing practise in Canada and
identify commonly-applied means of floodproofing suitable for the
Canadian climate. Similarly, floodproofing guidelines or standards
could be developed for the floodproofing of water distribution and
wastewater collection systems. Furthermore, it is suggested that
Environment Canada organize and provide short courses on floodproofing
at regional centers across the country. As a learned society, CSCE
will be willing to assist Environment Canada with organization of
continuing education efforts directed towards professional engineers
and professionals in related disciplines.

In Canada, flooding can occur both in "open water" situations or as a
result of ice jams. Ice jamming and ice runs, during mid-winter thaws
or spring breakup, have resulted in extensive damages. Despite this,
there remains a need to do additional research work on river ice
processes that could eventually lead to the forecasting of river ice
breakup and jamming, and the development of additional means of
preventing or mitigating the negative effects of ice jams. The
Canadian Society for Civil Engineering applauds the past work done by
the research organizations of Environment Canada and recommends
further ice research related to the reduction of future flood damages.



Sincerely,


Mel Hosain, FCSCE, President
Canadian Society for Civil Engineering