Work is underway to build a new regional stormwater management facility in Coaldale. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Groundbreaking underway for Coaldale flood protection project

Jun 3, 2025 | 10:20 AM

A new infrastructure project aims to better protect the Coaldale area from overland flooding.

Construction has started on a new South Coaldale regional stormwater management facility.

Mayor Jack Van Rijn says, for decades, the community has been vulnerable to flooding events that have impacted homes, businesses and essential infrastructure.

“This new stormwater management facility is a long overdue and much-needed investment in public safety and community resilience,” says Van Rijn. “We’re proud to be working alongside our regional partners to deliver a solution that not only protects our residents today, but also positions Coaldale for sustainable growth into the future.”

The facility will help to mitigate runoff from a 3,662-hectare rural catchment area during storm events. It will include 100,000 cubic metres of stormwater storage.

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Once completed, it will protect more than 750 homes in the Town of Coaldale and Lethbridge County, as well as roadways, municipal infrastructure and agricultural land.

David Westwood, General Manager of the St. Mary River Irrigation District, says this project will benefit all communities in the Malloy Drainage Basin and southern Alberta more broadly.

“The project exemplifies the spirit of regional partnership and co-operation, and will support the social, environmental and economic objectives of the area and protect homes, property and irrigation infrastructure that is vital to economic prosperity in the region,” says Westwood.

The Government of Alberta is providing $3.73 million in funding through its Drought and Flood Protection Program. It will cover the majority of the project’s $5.3 million budget.

Taber-Warner MLA and Associate Minister of Water, Grant Hunter, adds that the five-year, $125 million provincial program is helping communities across Alberta improve safety and protect critical infrastructure.

Construction on the regional stormwater management facility is set to be complete by the fall of 2026.

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