Currently the Hanson Ranch Wetland storm pond facility cannot be operated as it was originally designed and isn’t compliant with the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act approval. The facility is also not compliant with the Water Act because the original design incorporated West Nose Creek within the facility. In addition, the earth berm separating the storm pond facility from West Nose Creek is now considered a dam under the Alberta Dam and Canal Safety Directive and will require approval under the Water Act.

The improvements are needed to meet current municipal, provincial, and federal guidelines and regulations, and to improve the overall function of this constructed wetland so that it can meet stormwater storage demands and release water to West Nose Creek in a controlled way. Completing this work will help to improve water quality and reduce erosion in West Nose Creek and will reduce maintenance needs, thereby lowering costs and minimizing community impacts.

There will be impacts to the nearby natural area/pathway/sidewalk during construction, but once construction and maintenance work are complete, the area will be returned to the same uses (i.e. constructed wetland within the natural area and pathway/sidewalks replaced to similar or better condition than prior to construction.) The existing pathway adjacent to the storm pond will be improved as part of the project.

The project requires a Biophysical Impact Assessment (BIA) which is reviewed and approved under the City of Calgary’s framework. The BIA will identify affected wildlife species and habitat and will recommend efforts to help mitigate impacts. The BIA must be approved before construction can start. More information will be shared before construction.

 One of the objectives of the Hanson Ranch Wetland Improvements is to restore and enhance wildlife habitat and native vegetation for the long-term benefit of the area.

Some examples of mitigations and best management practices we will implement include, but are not limited to:

· Remove the existing redundant paved pathway at the N.W. end of the project where there is the existing regional pathway. This redundant pathway will be replaced with native vegetation consisting of grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs. 

· Build an improved connection from the maintenance access/paved pathway along the north side of the Hanson Ranch wetland’s north cell. 

· Design water level control devices using today’s best practices, to reduce the risk of wildlife/human conflict. 

· Minimize the extent of disturbance of established vegetation where possible. 

· Install temporary fencing to minimize wildlife and human encounters during construction and maintenance. 

· Collect and relocate sensitive species during construction. 

· Incorporate design features to improve wildlife habitat within the constructed wetland such as: 

o Islands. 

o Cobble piles and boulder banks. 

o Snags / coarse woody debris. 

o Increased diversity of native vegetation.

Beavers are good for our environment, but also pose some challenges. One of the main functions, and regulatory requirements, of this type of infrastructure is to be able to manage high water levels during storm events and unfortunately, beavers can negatively impact this important function. Our goal is to design the facility so that beavers can't impact it the way they have in the past.

The City’s practice is to try and strike a balance between health of the surrounding areas and the wellbeing of the beavers. To learn more about beavers, the challenges they present, and our approach to beaver management, please visit our Beavers webpage.

Your input, and the input of other citizens and interested parties, will help City leaders and decision makers better understand the perspectives, opinions, and concerns of people potentially impacted by City decisions. Public input is collected, where appropriate, and considered along with other factors (which may include things such as cost, environmental impact, technical limitations, long-range plans/goals, etc.) before decisions are made.

The City’s Engage Policy is in place to ensure we set a standard of excellence when working with citizens and interest holders by following engagement best practices consistently across The Corporation. At the conclusion of the engagement period, we will produce a What We Heard report that summarizes the feedback

Please visit https://www.calgary.ca/planning/water/hanson-ranch for additional FAQs.