CyGS Presentation - Springbank Off-stream Reservoir

The Calgary Geotechnical Society is excited to host Mathieu Boudreau, P.Eng. on Geotechnical Aspects of the Design and Construction of the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir.

This presentation will be hosted at the Wild Rose Brewery - Barracks Rooms. No virtual option is available for this presentation. Light refreshments and appetizers will be provided.

Please register by Friday, February 20. Ticket sale ends at 5 pm.

**Please note that limited tickets will be available at the door on the day of the presentation, which can be purchased only with cash or cheque. We recommend registering for the event in advance to guarantee your spot.**

Date: Tuesday February 24,2026; 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm (MST)

Details:

5:30 pm to 6:00 pm – Doors Open & Networking
6:00 pm to 6:45 pm – Technical Presentation
6:45 pm to 7:00 pm – Q&A
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Networking 

Cost: $10 (Regular) / Free (Student)

Location: Wild Rose Brewery - Barracks Rooms
4580 Quesnay Wood Dr SW, Calgary, AB T3E 7J3
(***Parking and entrance in the back***)

Abstract:

The Springbank Off-stream Reservoir project was developed and constructed in response to the severe flooding that affected Southern Alberta in 2013, which highlighted the vulnerability of the City of Calgary and downstream communities to large flood events on the Elbow River. The project was conceived as a long-term flood mitigation measure to reduce peak flood flows through Calgary by temporarily diverting and storing floodwaters in an off-stream reservoir during extreme events. By operating only during high flows and remaining dry under normal conditions, the dam provides significant flood protection while minimizing impacts to the natural river system and surrounding land use. The main components of the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir project include a diversion structure on the Elbow River, a 4.7 km long diversion channel, a 3.7 km long off-stream storage dam, and reservoir. The zoned earthfill dam has a maximum height of 29 m and is founded on glaciolacustrine clays overlying glacial tills and sedimentary bedrock. This presentation will provide an overview of the project and provide key geotechnical considerations that influenced the design and construction of the project and highlight how these challenges were addressed.

Bio:

Mathieu Boudreau is a Geotechnical Engineer at Stantec based in Calgary with 10 years of international geotechnical engineering experience in the energy, resource, infrastructure, and dams sectors. Since 2023, Mathieu has played a key role in the construction of the Springbank Dam flood mitigation project west of Calgary. His responsibilities included leading the earthworks CQA team, geotechnical instrumentation evaluation and interpretation, and assessing the performance of the dam and diversion channel during construction. He is recognized for his practical approach to geotechnical engineering and his ability to bridge detailed technical analysis with constructability and operational considerations