|
|
|
Calgary Bow River Weir Project (Harvie Passage)
Connecting communities, parks and facilities on the Bow River
Aerial view of Harvie Passage construction. Image courtesy of Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd.
It has been almost 100 years since the Bow River flowed freely through the City of Calgary. Since 1904, a weir to divert water for irrigation has blocked passage on the Bow. The current structure, built in 1975 near Inglewood, performs the important function of diverting water into a canal for use by farmers in the Western Irrigation District.
While useful and necessary for irrigation, this structure has proven to be an extreme drowning hazard and has claimed the lives of numerous victims.
Vision of completed Harvie Passage Project
Called Harvie Passage in honour of Calgary philanthropist Don Harvie, the multi-million dollar project has seen the hazardous weir structure in Inglewood reconstructed with a series of pools and rapids that are safer for people and improve natural movement of fish along the river.
The Harvie Passage, the newly reconstructed reach of the river through and below the location of the “old” weir has had the finishing touches put on it this spring. The testing of this reconstructed reach of the river was completed and analyzed by participating experts and engineers. All agree that the reach as constructed is now safer than the hazards posed by the old weir.
The new signs indicate that the now accessible main channel is a Class III rated kayaking channel that presents significant challenges. The Class III designation means this reach is suitable for experienced white water kayakers and river rafters in suitable sized and equipped rafts. As part of the new alignment there has also been constructed, and marked with entrance boulders and signs, a less stringent Class II channel on the south side of the river. This channel, too is not a “water slide”, but is passable comfortably by experienced canoeists, rafters and kayakers. Again, if inexperienced, you may get overturned or swamped and pushed either to shore or downstream to the end of the channel.
No motorized boats are allowed on the Bow River in Calgary except for those of the Aquatic Rescue Service of the Fire Department. City bylaws and Federal law requires anyone on the river wear a life jacket. Everyone involved with the project agrees helmets are advised for those who contemplate running this reconstructed reach of the river in either channel. Like other reaches of the Bow River outside the City of Calgary, where there are rapids, it still presents significant challenges and a fairly significant drop in the river elevation over the reach that has been “reconstructed”. While it can be challenged by experienced kayakers and rafters it still represents the possibility of injury to recreational rafters and boaters. They are advised to use the portage around this reach for their own safety. The Harvie Passage project has made the river safer but not risk free.
See Calgary's weir and the Harvie Passage Weir Project featured on the Discovery Channel's
Daily Planet, April 2011 and
Daily Planet, March 2010
For a full album of construction photos with descriptions visit us on 
For more information on the history of this project, please visit the official Harvie Passage Website
Contact us for more info
|
|
|
|