The Town of Taber undertook a Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) in 2015 that identified a need for storm water storage on the east side of Taber, adjacent to the Taber reservoir.

Following further discussions, it was decided the storage solution should be a constructed wetland. Best practices for modern stormwater storage recommends wetlands for their enhanced treatment capabilities. The purpose of the wetlands is to direct stormwater from the intersection of Highway 36 and 56^th Avenue to the wetlands where it will be stored and treated naturally.

The East Constructed Wetlands project was added to in 2017 to the SWMP.

2018 saw flooding occur in the Taber region, which increased the Town’s desire to expand our stormwater storage capabilities, particularly for the protection of our east industrial area. As the East Constructed Wetlands was already identified as a priority in the 2017 SWMP, the Town began implementation.

To remain in compliance with the Water Act and proceed with the project, final acceptance of the design is required by the Taber Irrigation District. The Town of Taber is proud to have received TID’s approval and partnership, resulting in the start of the wetland’s construction.

The wetlands will be located to the east of Taber, near the Taber Lake Reservoir.

Design Considerations

• Total storage volume of 100,000 cubic meters for stormwater runoff
• The wetland is designed to promote stormwater treatment based on Taber Irrigation District’s target parameters
• The stormwater conveyance is designed to accommodate 1-in-100-year rainfall events
• The active storage depth is 1.0m
• Site sits on 22 acres thanks to a long-term lease from the Taber Irrigation District

Stormwater quality will be improved by the following design elements:

• Sediment removal throughout forebay ponds and filtration piping
• Sediment removal and nutrient removal via prolonged retention times created by staged storage elevations
• Nutrient removal via wetlands plants and vegetation
• Advanced treatment through bio-bed implementation

• 2020: Funding Announced
• Preliminary construction: late March 2022
• Ground-breaking: April 2022
• Project completion expected end of year 2023

Project Funding

The total cost of the project is $7,499,200. The Town of Taber gratefully acknowledges funding from the Government of Canada's Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, the Government of Alberta's Alberta Community Resilience Program, the Federal Gas Tax Fund, and Alberta Environment and Parks. The Municipal funding portion is a total of $791,330.