What is the High Hazard Flood Fringe?

There are two types of High Hazard Flood Fringe areas:

  • Deep floodwaters (typically small ‘pockets’ within the Flood Fringe) OR
  • Both fast and deep floodwaters (mostly continuous bands of High Hazard Areas along the floodway)

When the High Hazard Flood Fringe is both fast and deep, it is the second highest flood risk category after Floodway. When a High Hazard Flood Fringe Areas is only deep (not fast) and, particularly, when it is surrounded by the Flood Fringe Hazard Area, The City will consider regulating the area as Flood Fringe.

Where is the High Hazard Flood Fringe?

The NEW High Hazard Flood Fringe will apply to areas currently mapped as Flood Fringe (in today’s maps)

  • Importantly: Some High Hazard Flood Fringe areas will shift to lower risk categories over the next 2 to 4 years as flood mitigation measures are completed (i.e. Sunnyside)
  • High Hazard Flood Fringe will remain in: Bowness | Areas along the Bow River downstream of the Elbow River confluence

How do we regulate today?

High Hazard Flood Fringe is a new flood hazard zone, and therefore has no existing regulations in Calgary’s Land Use Bylaw.

Regulation in this new zone is important, to ensure Calgary continues to support public safety, minimize property damage and enable flood and climate resilient community growth.