Bow River will have three waves for surfing after 10 Street redesign

Calgarians are getting their first glimpse of a river wave along the Bow River under the Louise Bridge and 10th Street that will prevent the area from flooding.

The City of Calgary has released the preliminary design for the 10th Street Gravel Bar and Recreational Wave project.

Officials say a gravel bar has been forming in the Bow River under the Louise Bridge for several decades but grew dramatically after the 2013 flood.

Gravel bars naturally form from sediment movement but become a concern around bridges as they constrict the flow of the river.

As such, city officials began looking at changes that could be made to mitigate flood risks and protect the bank from erosion.

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The spot is also home to a natural wave in the Bow River that formed after the flood—an area that has become a hot spot for river surfing.

The city decided while exploring the realignment of the gravel bar it would also look into creating recreational waves for river surfers to use.

“There are a lot of hazards in the area, so having a wave that is built and is adjustable not only means that we would get a surfable wave many months of the year, but we would have a safer area with fewer hazards,” said Andrea Juska with the Alberta River Surfing Association.

The association shared details and artist renderings of the redesign on Friday.

It says the river will have three adjustable parallel waves for surfing. It also includes a plan for an expanded public seating and viewing area and improved access to the water itself.

“The economic benefit is that people who come down to enjoy the parks and the waves, they will spend money at the local businesses in the area. So they will stop at restaurants and coffee shops. If there are retail outlets, they’ll pay for parking,” Juska said.

The cost of the mitigation work and wave project is expected to be around $12 million.

“Waves will be for a range of skills and user types; the project will reduce flood risk and will create new economic, cultural and environmental resources for Calgary,” said a Facebook post.

Both the Alberta River Surfing Association and the Alberta Whitewater Association provided river user feedback on the designs.

A construction schedule has not yet been set, but work could take up to three years to complete.