Rideau Valley Conservation Authority looking for feedback on Stevens Creek hazard mapping study
Posted Nov 23, 2021 08:25:00 PM.
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) wants the public's input on a new hazard mapping study for Stevens Creek in the City of Ottawa.
The study considers the risk of flooding, erosion and other hazards along Stevens Creek, from Malakoff Road to the Rideau River.
Members of the public are invited to review the draft regulation and hazard maps during a public consultation period between November 29, 2021 and January 13, 2022.
The new mapping shows areas that are subject to natural hazards such as flooding and unstable slopes, or that have natural environmental features such as wetlands. It will be used by the City of Ottawa when updating its official plans and zoning schedules, and in the review of development applications under the Planning Act.
RVCA says it will also use the mapping to guide the review of development applications submitted under its Development, Interference with Wetlands and Alterations to Shorelines and Watercourses Regulation.
The goal of this mapping is to help ensure sound planning decisions are made, to keep people and property safe. The RVCA says accurate engineered hazard mapping is the foundation of effective floodplain and resource management.
Members of the public are encouraged to review the draft mapping and connect with an RVCA Resource Specialist to understand how the mapping may affect their property.
Due to COVID-19, the conservation authority is not holding an in-person public open house. Instead, it's invite residents to contact an RVCA Resource Specialist by email at development@rvca.ca, or by phone at 613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504 ext. 1132 or 1193.
Individual or small group meetings, online or in person, can also be booked to discuss local impacts and concerns.
Conservation authority staff also welcome local input on the mapping, including historical records of past flood events, slope failures, erosion, news clippings, photographs and even anecdotal stories to help confirm the reasonableness of calculations and resulting hazard mapping.
This study is just one of several ongoing hazard mapping studies taking place in the watershed.