Contact(s)
| Project Summary |
|
Budget: $157,000 |
|
Timeline: The project commenced during May 2023 and is anticipated to be completed by late spring 2024. |
|
Consultant: WSP |
|
Project Contact: Patrick MacDonald, Project Engineer – Stormwater Telephone: 705-558-9538 email: pmacdonald@orillia.ca |
The City of Orillia has retained a consultant, WSP, to update the floodplain mapping for Mill Creek and Ben’s Ditch. Floodplain mapping for Mill Creek was last updated during 1991 and is no longer accurate, while floodplain mapping of Ben’s Ditch was not included in the 1991 study. The project is intended to identify the flood risk to the existing public and private properties and roadways adjacent to the water courses; one of the roadways is Provincial Highway 12 while the City of Orillia Wastewater Treatment Plant is located adjacent to the channel outlet at Lake Simcoe. The study will also recommend preliminary flood mitigation alternatives to address flooding impacts to buildings located within the updated floodplain mapping.
Development studies are ongoing for the areas located within the upstream reaches of the contributing drainage area; understanding the impacts of new development to the floodplain is vital.
The City of Orillia is updating the Official Plan which will plan for climate change as required by Provincial legislation, Plans and Policies. The City needs to ensure its flood hazard mapping is up to date to inform the City policy which will direct growth over the next 30 years and ensure new growth climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are considered.
Project Update
The project consultant, WSP, has finalized the Mill Creek and Ben’s Ditch Floodplain Mapping Study during July 2024.
City of Orillia Council approved a project budget increase of $46,000 during April 2024, to expand the scope of work to conduct 2D hydraulic modelling of the Ben’s Ditch spill areas identified through the Floodplain Mapping project. The project consultant, WSP, commenced the 2D hydraulic modelling work for the Regulatory Storm event during July 2024 and has since provided the City with a draft report documenting their assessment. Prior to finalizing this report, the City is exploring options to assess additional storm event scenarios for the Ben’s Ditch spill areas, including the 100-year storm event, Regional (Timmins storm) event, and Extreme storm event.
| Project Documentation |
| Floodplain Maps |
