Abstract

Since the passage of the Conservation Authorities Act in 1946, Authorities have been involved in assessing flood risk and implementing programs and projects related to providing flood protection to areas of existing development within their watersheds. Following Hurricane Hazel, in 1954, the Authorities adopted flood control as a core function and began to study and implement flood protection works in earnest.

The amalgamation of four existing Conservation Authorities into the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in 1957 allowed for a more integrated approach to studying, prioritizing and funding such works across the region, as reflected in the TRCA 1959 Plan for Flood Control. Subsequent to the development of this plan, a multi-phased approach to providing flood protection began, including both structural and non-structural approaches to providing protection. It is the structural approaches that this study will deal specifically with, and include dams, weirs, drop structures, channels, and dykes. Many of these structures reflect the engineering approaches of the day, with the use of hardened surfaces such as concrete channels designed to convey flood waters in the most hydrologically efficient manner. Many of the original works constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s are reaching their structural life expectancy. Developing an efficient monitoring, reporting and assessment system is critical to determining the liability that these existing facilities present.

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