Drumheller Flood Program provided an update in their monthly newsletter on Tuesday, April 8, regarding its progress of ongoing work and new work underway as part of berm projects in the Nacmine and Rosedale communities.
    Along with the new projects underway, work has also begun to remove trees along the future berm footprint in these communities.
    “We recognize that seeing trees removed can be emotional, especially when they’ve been a part of your neighbourhood for many years,” states the newsletter update. “However, this is an important step forward in protecting your community from flooding and preparing for the construction of berms that will help mitigate future flood risks.”
    Tree clearing cannot be conducted between April 15 and August 15 due to the potential nesting of migratory birds. Sweeps of trees in the areas requiring clearing were conducted prior to beginning any clearing. Once construction is complete, landscaping of the area will be completed with the planting of new trees and vegetation as necessary in the cleared areas, and throughout the Drumheller Valley as part of the program’s commitment to replacing cleared vegetation at a ratio of five new trees or vegetation for every tree removed in fair, good, or excellent condition.
    In addition to sweeps for migratory bird nests, wildlife surveys and historic resource assessments were also conducted, with no substantial findings identified. It was noted that, if any artifacts or significant historical resources are discovered, construction activities will pause immediately to allow for the appropriate steps to be taken to assess and protect potential resources or artifacts. If construction activity is paused before earthwork in the spring, a secondary wildlife survey will be conducted. This will ensure that local wildlife remains undisturbed due to construction in these areas.
    One major change expected to occur is the closure of the Hunter Drive access road east of 9 Street in Nacmine. It was noted that the road closure will facilitate “a more effective flood mitigation system” within the Nacmine community by allowing the construction of a berm across Hunter Drive.
    Properties north of Hunter Drive in the 964 to 1000 block were previously purchased by the Town, and all structures have been removed. Once berm construction is complete, this land will be converted to Environmental Reserve as part of the flood funding agreement.
    Construction of the Nacmine and Rosedale/Scarlett berms is expected to be completed by November 30 of this year, with landscaping to be continued into spring 2026.

A photographer so enamoured with the mining sites of Canada and especially the Drumheller Valley, has spent over four decades working and making photos.
And now he has handed over a significant collection of his work to the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site.
Lawrence Chrismas has donated more than 250 of his photographs to the museum. This collection “documents the region’s coal mining heritage, featuring portraits of Drumheller Valley miners, their families, homesteads, and mining infrastructure,” notes a release.
"Recently when I reached an old age, I decided I should find a permanent home for my Drumheller region photographs, and the Atlas became my number one choice to receive this collection," says Lawrence Chrismas. "Old-timers frequently told me that after long years of digging coal, they missed their job and fellow miners—many were proud of their life in mining. My objective as a documentary photographer has been to show the positive side of coal mining."
In a previous interview with the Mail, he explains that fresh out of college he went to work with the Department of Mines and Energy, and for the first time stepped into the valley in 1969.
About a decade later he was in Canmore to see the last mine there close. From that point, he began his life work of photographing and documenting the history of the mines and the lives of the miners.
“It grew from there, I realized I was doing something of considerable historic value and people were enjoying my photographs and stories of the miners,” he said.
He has been honoured for his work. Coal Dust Grins was published in 1998 and featured miners from across the country. It was which was shortlisted for the Roloff Beny Photography Book Award. His work has also been exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada, the Glenbow and the Whyte Museum of the Rockies. He is a Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) inductee.
In 2011, the centennial year of mining in the valley, he published Coal in the Valley: Drumheller Miner Photographs and Stories.
“This collection of remarkable photographs is truly an honour to have in the Atlas collection. Many of the individuals featured in these images were part of the local workforce and still have family members in the community,” says Jessica Fleury-Schatz, Executive Director of the Atlas Coal Mine. “At the Atlas, we foster a sense of belonging by sharing the stories and experiences of this unique place. These images will enrich our research and deepen our interpretation of mining life in the Drumheller Valley. We anticipate an exhibit showcasing a selection of these photographs in the near future.”

Photo courtesy C.Schatz Film & Photography