While the SVCA does not carry out flood and erosion control projects any longer, all the projects listed below are inspected each and every year to ensure their integrity in fulfilling one of their key mandates - the prevention of loss of life, property damage and social disruption from flood and erosion processes.
This mandate applies to all 36 Conservation Authorities across the province.
Note: All projects have been entered in descending chronological order.
Most of the urban centres within the Saugeen watershed were settled within valleys and in close proximity to watercourses. While there were many benefits to this, there were also risks, namely flooding and slope stability problems.
From the early 1950's to 1995 the Conservation Authority undertook several capital or major flood and erosion control projects designed to protect existing development from flooding and erosion problems.
Grants were provided by the Province of Ontario to implement these projects, in the early years as much as 85%,with the remaining funds coming from the individual municipalities that benefited from the project.
Note: Projects are listed in chronological order.
This was the first capital flood control project of the SVCA and one of the main reasons for the initiation of the Conservation Authority in 1950. Flooding in the Town of Walkerton had been a major problem throughout the early and mid 1900's. Municipal officials approached the province about forming a Conservation Authority to address the problem.
Beginning in 1956, at a total cost of $169,000, 2.4 km of dykes and floodwalls were constructed to protect the central business district as well as residential neighborhoods from the 1:100 year flood.
Maintenance, repairs and inspections are ongoing for a project of this importance.
This project involved the construction of a 90m dyke along the west side of the Teeswater River as it flows through this small hamlet. It was designed to protect the homes and residents from flooding. The dyke is immediately east (left) of the downtown area depicted below.
This project involved the installation of a 120 metre gabion basket retaining wall on the west side of the Penetangore River to protect a municipal roadway from slope instability, as well as river bank erosion.
The project was upgraded in 2004 with the rehabilitation of the gabion basket wall. The original wall had been damaged by ice and debris leaving holes and compromising the integrity of the structure. New wire mesh was installed as part of the project along the 80 metre protective wall.
Approximately 100 metres of rip rap erosion control were installed on the north side of the Penetangore River, protecting two structures.
A 245 metre dyke was constructed to prevent flood water from the Upper Durham Dam reservoir from entering a residential neighborhood.
Flood control channels were constructed along 1.5 km of Neustadt and Meux Creeks through the community of Neustadt including gabion basket channels and new culverts, protecting residents and property from flooding.
In this particular project, it was necessary to divert of a section of the Penetangore River away from a steep section of the valley slope to prevent further erosion at the toe of the slope and further instability. The diversion also protected an exposed section of a former landfill site.
In excess of 3 km of flood control dyke was constructed along the Main Saugeen River, Teeswater River and Willow Creek designed to protect the residents and approximately 115 commercial and residential buildings from flooding in the Village of Paisley.The photo at left shows the extent of the flooding in Paisley, prior to the construction of the dykes.
This location required the installation of 480 metres of rip rap on the banks of the South Saugeen River (13th Concession), of the former Normanby Twp. to prevent further erosion.
This project involved the reconstruction of the deck and apron portions of the Lower Dam in Durham.
This project involved the complete reconstruction of the Mount Forest Dam at the Highway #6 bridge and downstream erosion protection.
Below: Immediately below the Mount Forest Dam looking downstream.
Below: The Mount Forest Dam looking upstream
The Authority, in conjunction with the local municipality initiated the acquisition and removal of approximately 16 dwellings and farm building from the floodplain of the South Saugeen River, immediately south of Hanover.
This project involved a 255 metre slope stability and erosion control project near the mouth of the Saugeen River. It resulted in the protection of a municipal roadway, a major bridge over the river, and a retirement home.
A total of 70 metres of rip rap was installed to protect a major municipal road.
This erosion control project involved protecting three dwelling along a steep valley slope on Saint Albert Street in Kincardine.
The project also included the diversion of the Penetangore River away from the slope.
The main part of the project was completed in 1986, however, a portion of the project underwent repair work in 2005. Riprap was installed to protect the falling bank along the south side of the river.
Below: Before, during and after. The initial stabilization wall, constructed in 1986 is repaired in 2005.
This project involved the construction of steel sheet pile walls and the installation of armour stone to protect two lakeshore pumping stations in Port Elgin.
2012 Update: Over 20 years of infrastructure changes have now deemed this project obsolete.
For this project, it was necessary to construct a 640 metre channel below the Lower Dam in Durham to assist in the prevention of frazil ice accumulation as well as the construction of an "ice road" to provide a working platform for the removal of ice from the channel by heavy machinery.
This project required the construction of a storm water management basin and outlet ditch/pipe to transfer overland flow through the developed shoreline area of Inverhuron to Lake Huron protection of 12 properties from storm / surface water flooding.
Due to age and condition of the Hanover Dam, it was necessary to undertake reconstruction in 1989. The dam is located on the main Saugeen River. This was a cooperative endeavour between the SVCA and the Town of Hanover.
This project involved the construction of a flood wall adjacent to the Neustadt Dam to prevent flood water from spilling out of the reservoir and causing damage to building on Mill Street.
This dam is inspected each year, like all SVCA projects. These latest photos were taken in 2012.
The largest and most expensive capital project within Saugeen's jurisdiction, ($4.2 million dollars), this project involved the construction of a 288 metre steel sheet pile retaining wall on a steep valley slope adjacent to the Penetangore River. The project provided protection for four dwellings and 23 businesses situated in the downtown core of Kincardine.
Below: before the project (left) and after.
Above: Before and After
In 2003, major maintenance was undertaken on two sections of the Walkerton Flood Control Dykes involving the removal of overgrown vegetation and erosion control works at a total cost of $260,000. The cost was split between the Province of Ontario and the Municipality of Brockton.
The Town of Durham has experienced several floods throughout the years because of the formation and accumulation of frazil ice.
In 1997, numerous homes were flooded when frazil ice built up within the river channel, causing major blockages to flow.
An extensive study was initiated by the Municipality of West Grey and Saugeen Conservation which resulted in recommended alternatives that would alleviate future problems.
Below: Frazil ice (left) clumps together in sticky mats. Depending on weather conditions, blockages can form in the river channel. High hoes are often used to clear the build-up of frazil ice.
The SVCA made repairs to a small section of the dyke(spillway) on the south side of the Upper Durham Dam and the downstream portion of the river channel in the spring of 2008 following a high flow and ice event that damaged this area in January of that year.
Below: Minor repairs to the dyke and south side of the channel at the Upper Durham Dam
In 2010, the SVCA applied to the MNR's Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure funding on behalf of the Municipality of Brockton to secure 50% of the funds to repair the Queen Street storm sewer that outfalls through the Walkerton Flood Control Dyke.
The work was completed in two phases; the design engineering (B.M. Ross and Associates), completed in early 2011 and the construction (Van Driel Excavating Inc.), completed in the fall of 2011. The repair was necessary to ensure the safety of residents located behind the dyke in the Town of Walkerton. The dyke repair is located on the south side of the Main Saugeen River at the north end of the Queen Street road allowance
In 2010, the SVCA applied to the MNR's Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure funding, on behalf of the Municipality of Kincardine to secure 50% of the funds to repair the inlet pipe in the Inverhuron Flood Control Project
The project required repairs to the inlet pipe on the upstream side of the earthen berm. It is hoped that funding will support the completion of this repair in 2012. The repair will focus on the inlet pipe of the project situated in the earthen berm.
It was noted in the fall of 2009 that the bottom of the corrugated steel pipe had corroded, leaving the project compromised.
As part of the project, it must be ensured that the earthen berms had not been compromised as a result of the corroded inlet pipe. As such, the engineering portion of the project will include an assessment on the berm area at and under the inlet pipe to ensure the project continues to effectively operate during runoff events. The repair is necessary to ensure the safety of residents located to the west and downstream of the detention pond and its outlet.