Kananaskis River Surfing Wave Rebuilt After Heavy Rain Damage

A dedicated group of volunteers and river surfers is working through the summer to restore a popular surfing wave in Kananaskis after powerful June rainfall severely damaged the feature and forced the cancellation of an annual competition.

The Mountain Wave, located near Barrier Lake on the Kananaskis River, was heavily damaged when water levels surged to almost eight times their normal flow.

The extraordinary force of the river moved massive boulders that had been carefully positioned to create the surfing wave, leaving the area scattered with rocks and effectively destroying a feature that has become an important part of Alberta’s river surfing community.

The Alberta River Surfing Association, which has built and managed the wave since 2014, says volunteers are now working to restore it.

Heavy Rain Destroys Popular Surfing Wave

The damage occurred during a period of heavy rainfall in June when the Kananaskis River experienced an enormous increase in water flow.

According to the Alberta River Surfing Association, the river was running at nearly eight times its normal level.

The powerful current shifted large boulders downstream and disrupted the carefully engineered formation required to create the Mountain Wave.

For river surfers, the loss was particularly disappointing because the location has become a popular destination for the sport in Alberta.

Association president Neil Egsgard described the destruction as heartbreaking and said rebuilding the wave has required significant effort.

Rebuilding Requires Massive Equipment

Restoring a river surfing wave is far more complicated than simply moving a few rocks back into place.

The position, size and arrangement of the boulders all influence how the river moves and whether a usable wave can form.

Association volunteers have been working to carefully reposition the rocks and recalibrate the feature.

Some of the boulders are enormous, with several weighing enough to require heavy equipment to move.

Volunteer Ed Meyer has played a major role in the reconstruction effort.

Meyer owns a demolition company and has donated equipment, employees and his own time to help restore the wave.

His crew has been drilling holes into the large boulders before attaching ropes and using equipment to drag the rocks across the riverbed and return them to appropriate positions.

Meyer estimates that he has donated approximately $30,000 worth of services to the project.

For him, however, the work is about more than the financial value of the equipment and labour.

Meyer began river surfing several years ago after getting involved in the sport with his son and eventually developed a passion for it himself.

Now 60 years old, he continues to learn and enjoy the sport while helping preserve one of the area’s most popular surfing features.

He says seeing people return to the wave and enjoy themselves makes the effort worthwhile.

Volunteers Join the Restoration

Meyer and his crew are not working alone.

Other members of the river surfing community have joined the reconstruction effort, moving smaller rocks and reinforcing sections of the rock structure with sandbags.

The volunteer work has continued throughout the summer as surfers and supporters attempt to bring the Mountain Wave back to life.

The restoration has become a community project involving people who use the river regularly and others who simply want to help preserve the recreational area.

For many surfers, the wave represents more than a place to practice a sport.

It has become a gathering point where people can spend time outdoors, connect with other surfers and escape the pressures of everyday life.

Annual Competition Cancelled

The damage to the wave had a direct impact on one of the area’s major surfing events.

The Alberta River Surfing Association had hoped to restore the Mountain Wave in time for its annual competition this summer.

However, organizers realized only days before the scheduled event that the reconstruction would not be completed in time.

The competition was subsequently cancelled.

According to the association, it was the first cancellation in approximately 20 years of the event’s history.

Rather than allowing the cancelled weekend to go unused, organizers encouraged volunteers and surfers to come to the river and help continue the rebuilding effort.

The response demonstrated the strong connection between the local surfing community and the Mountain Wave.

Surfers Give Back to the Community

Among those helping with the reconstruction was Kennan Szott, who competed in last year’s Mountain Classic competition and regularly surfs in the area.

Instead of simply waiting for the wave to reopen, Szott joined other volunteers to help with the repair work.

For regular users of the river, the opportunity to contribute has become a way of giving something back to a place that has provided them with recreation and enjoyment.

The restoration effort has brought together experienced surfers, volunteers and people with specialized equipment and skills.

River Levels Affect Construction

The rebuilding process is also dependent on conditions in the river.

According to Egsgard, volunteers can only carry out certain repair work when the water level is low enough.

Water levels are influenced by the Barrier Dam operated by TransAlta, meaning the timing of the reconstruction is partly dependent on river conditions.

The association says only a few days of repair work remain, but the final stages must be completed carefully to ensure the wave functions properly.

Unlike a conventional construction project, the Mountain Wave must work with the natural movement of the river.

The boulders need to be positioned precisely so that the water creates the right conditions for surfing.

Hope for a September Return

Despite the setbacks, the Alberta River Surfing Association remains hopeful that the Mountain Wave can be restored and the cancelled competition rescheduled for September.

The rebuilding project has already demonstrated the determination of Alberta’s river surfing community.

What began as extensive damage caused by extreme water flow has turned into a major volunteer effort involving donated equipment, skilled workers and surfers willing to spend their free time moving rocks and restoring the wave.

The experience has also highlighted how vulnerable river recreation sites can be to extreme weather and rapidly changing water conditions.

For now, volunteers continue working along the Kananaskis River, carefully repositioning massive boulders and making the adjustments needed to bring the Mountain Wave back.

If the final repairs are completed as planned, surfers could return to the Kananaskis River in September, giving the community another chance to celebrate the sport and the location that has brought them together for more than a decade.

Courtesy: CBC