O'Chiese First Nation | O'Chiese First Nation

Purpose

This project involves the replacement of the Baptiste River Bridge and the realignment and rehabilitation the 500m stretch of roadway on reserve leading up to the bridge. A hydrology analysis conducted in 2023 determined that the current bridge over the Baptiste River is at risk of being overtopped during a 1 in a 100-year event. The freeboard (the low chord of the bridge and the predicted 1 in 100-year water surface elevation of the river at the bridge crossing) is less than the one metre recommended by Alberta Transportation posing huge risk to the Nation in a flooding event. The low freeboard also increases the chances of debris getting caught on the bridge, further damaging the bridge, and potentially leading to overtopping of the bridge if flow is impeded. With only two primary access points into the community it is imperative that the bridge and road be adequately updated to support emergency access to the Nation.