Test Your Knowledge: Alberta Floods

It's certainly no secret that recent flooding in and around Calgary took a devastating toll on many communities. Nearly unprecedented in the province, the floods inundated countless homes and changed the lives of many homeowners and renters. As the city and surrounding communities begin the long road to normalcy, CREB®Now takes a look at some of the facts and figures surrounding the flood of 2013.

Answers are below the photograph

1>> During the floods, the Bow River was flowing at eight times its normal rate. Niagara Falls flows at roughly 1,850 cubic metres per second. At its peak, what was the flow of the Bow River?

a. 1,400 cubic metres per second
b. 1,200 cubic metres per second
c. 2,000 cubic metres per second
d. 2,400 cubic metres per second

2>> What was the total number of people evacuated in Calgary during the flooding?

a. 75,000
b. 110,000
c. 150,000
d. 95,000

3>> In the average year, the town of Canmore receives roughly 280 mm of rain. How much rain fell in the town during the 36 hours preceding the flooding?

a. 220 mm
b. 250 mm
c. 150 mm
d. 120 mm

4>> Although costs could run far higher, early estimates have pegged the damage as a result of the floods between $3 billion and $5 billion. What was the cost of Canada's worst financial disaster of all time – the 1998 ice storm that swept across Ontario and Quebec to New Brunswick – adjusted for today's dollars?

a. $4.1 billion
b. $6.2 billion
c. $3.8 billion
d. $5.7 billion

5>> What was the cost of the last major flooding to hit Calgary in 2005?

a. $400 million
b. $250 million
c. $575 million
d. $200 million

6>> At its peak, the Elbow River was flowing at 1,240 cubic metres per second, which is how many times the normal rate of the river?

a. Eight times
b. 10 times
c. 15 times
d. 12 times

7>> How many Calgary homes and businesses were without power during the flooding?

a. 20,000
b. 30,000
c. 34,000
d. 36,000

8>> At midnight on June 19, the water level in Elbow River was just above its normal level of 1.7 metres. How many hours did it take for the river to reach its peak flood levels of nearly 5 metres?

a. 13 hours
b. 15 hours
c. 18 hours
d. 24 hours

9>> How many Calgary communities were under evacuation orders during the flooding?

a. 15
b. 18
c. 24
d. 26

10>> How many metres of track were replaced the first week following the flooding in order to open the south LRT line?

a. 50 metres
b. 200 metres
c. 75 metres
d. 100 metres

11>> What is the estimated damage to city roads, public buildings, sewer systems and other "priority" infrastructure as a result of the flooding?

a. $325 million
b. $256 million
c. $189 million
d. $212 million

12>> Despite being largely underwater a few weeks before kicking off, the 101st Calgary Stampede still managed to draw 1.1 million people. The record for yearly attendance occurred in 2012 during the 100th anniversary of the event. How many people attended?

a. 1,186,636
b. 1,409,371
c. 1,262,518
d. 1,236,351

13>> How many Canadian Armed Forces troops were dispatched across Alberta during the flooding?

a. 1,500
b. 1,700
c. 2,200
d. 2,500

14>> Under the Alberta government's proposed plan to move homes and businesses out of flood-affected areas, the government will pay a maximum of what per cent over replacement costs for flood-proofing measures on individual homes?

a. 15 per cent
b. 10 per cent
c. 12 per cent
d. 20 per cent
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