The Hamlet of Marten Beach has faced more frequent overland flooding in recent years, causing damage, displacing residents, and deterring recreation in this scenic community by Lesser Slave Lake. These incidents are costly and traumatic for residents, and pose an ongoing risk to the MD and Province.

After careful analysis, engineering studies and public input, the MD has chosen a flood mitigation solution that offers the best long-term value for both the MD and Province. In today’s dollars, the cost to implement this solution is $14,113,000 (with an eligible cost of $13,113,000). Funding 100 percent of this project would negatively impact our fiscal resiliency, resulting in the MD carrying the largest debt load of any county or municipality in Alberta.

Rather, Council envisions a shared funding structure between the MD (20%) and provincial & federal levels of government (40% each). However, we are unclear on provincial funding (especially given the shift from MSI to LGFF, making it hard to forecast). As such, this project may rely heavily on MD funding, possibly with some GOA grant support. The MD has applied for federal DMAF grant funding in June 2023, which, if approved, would cover 40% of project costs. This would leave a balance of $7.2 million to be covered by other means.

Provincial portion

The Province’s repeal of the Well Drilling Equipment Tax (WDET) in 2020 eliminated a major advantage for oil-producing municipalities such as ours. One way for the Province to contribute to this project would be to repay tax revenues lost due to the repeal of this tax regulation. Assuming the WDET is assessed at the last regulated rate, the 486 wells drilled within our borders since its repeal would have resulted in more than $3.4 million in tax revenues for the MD.

Given that the spirit of the WDET was to provide rural municipalities with revenue to offset infrastructure costs, Council suggests that the Province consider a repayment of these lost tax revenues to cover its share of the Marten Beach flood abatement project.

Following extensive engineering, financial and environmental studies and requisite public consultation, a preferred flood mitigation option has been chosen (Option 5: Room for the River with Dykes) at an estimated capital cost of $12 million. This option returns the highest positive long-term net present value for both the Province and the MD. In October of 2022, Nichols Applied Management (Nichols) conducted an analysis that explored capital funding options including the feasibility of the MD financing the project in its entirety.

Council continues to advocate for a funding arrangement where project costs are shared between the MD, affected residents, and provincial grant contributions. However, most residents of this small community would be hard-pressed to take on such a financial burden. As such, the MD would likely shoulder some or all of the resident portion (to be recouped later). This leaves provincial funding as the remaining unknown variable.

Historically, MD financing of large capital items has been largely ad-hoc, consisting of special one-time transfers or small transfers of earned interest income. As such, a large portion of capital spending has typically been supported by the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) or other grant funding. However, due to the pending shift from the MSI program to the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) with no apparent formula to forecast the amount received, we face significant funding uncertainty for this venture.

The Marten Beach flood mitigation project will likely be MD-funded in large part; augmented by any provincial grant funding received. We intend to apply for a Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) grant with its potential to cover 40% of the total capital project cost, leaving the MD with a $7.2 million expenditure. If our grant application is unsuccessful, we will likely need to finance 100% of the anticipated $12 million expenditure.

Over the last three decades, Marten Beach has experienced two separate “hundred-year” rainfall events (in addition to three “twenty-year” rainfalls). These events have proven costly and traumatic to Marten Beach residents, and pose an ongoing risk to the municipality and Province.

Council, with the assistance of a specialized team of engineering, financial, environmental, and social analyst experts, has undertaken an extensive study on the Marten Beach area regarding flood risk mitigation strategies. This study resulted in five potential flood mitigation strategies. Upon review of the options presented, combined with consideration of community input and legacy studies, MD Council directed administration to evaluate Option 5C: narrowing the entire channel. A detailed cost-benefit analysis isolated Option 5C as returning the highest long-term net present value for both the Province and the MD.

In addition to evaluation of this risk management strategy, the MD has placed a moratorium on development in the area until Alberta Environment and Parks has provided the required flood mapping forecast criteria.

Numerous options were considered prior to arriving at the present flood mitigation strategy, including buying out property owners; moving or raising houses; and installing berms and sheet piles.

All legacy studies conducted by both the Province and the MD were reviewed. In consideration of the recent studies and legacy data, the MD has developed a four-pronged approach to finally address the repeated flooding in a meaningful way. The four components are as follows:

Communication and Engagement

• Current website communication sub-site for updated progress status
• Provision of pertinent information regarding resident preparedness and response
• Provision of pertinent information regarding on site future development, upgrades, and maintenance guidelines
• Ongoing status of engineering flood mitigation design and implementation concept design

Emergency Preparedness Plan

• Establishing the responsibility of the resident
• Establishing the responsibility of the MD
• Establishing the responsibility of the Province
• Determining critical points of implementation

Land Use Bylaw Guidelines and Amendments

• Drafting of Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw document amendments as necessary to allow for safe future development practices within the various flooding zones
• Creation of a flowchart for intuitive use and informational uptake by residents

Engineered Flood Mitigation Design and Implementation Concept Plan

• Production of a preferred area flood mitigation concept plan for Council and resident endorsement
• Strategies for funding the flood mitigation concept plan
  Strategies for political engagement to obtain funding from available grant sources
• Development of an implementation timetable

The Marten Beach area has been prone to flooding for many years, wherein a reactionary approach has historically been applied by way of critical incident response and post-flood recovery activities. A proactive approach, while comparatively expensive, will prove far less expensive in the long run.

The Marten Beach subdivision was approved when the MD of Lesser Slave River was still an improvement district; therefore it falls under provincial jurisdiction. It is not reasonable to expect the MD to shoulder the entire cost to fix an inherited problem.