Photo Courtesy Cody Schenkey

By Gates Guarin

Eroding cliffside near Police Point Park no cause for concern

Jun 20, 2022 | 4:16 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A dramatic scene was captured on camera late last week, as video shows part of the lower cliffside near Police Point Park breaking apart and falling away into the South Saskatchewan river.

While the footage shows a sudden occurrence, experts familiar with the area are saying this happens regularly, and it should pose no cause for concern regarding any imminent danger to the public or property.

Grace Porter, a park interpreter with Medicine Hat Interpretive Program says that particular area is composed of a much sandier soil, wich causes it to erode much more quickly. Coupled with the rainfall and high flow rate of the river, Porter expects these occurrences to happen much more often over time.

“If we do see more unusual erosion, then we might be concerned, but just with the natural course of the river and over time, it will start cutting in more into those cliffs,” Porter says. “Rivers actually over time, they get sharper turns, so they start out (as) smoother, straight rivers, and then over time they will start cutting into the cliffside and depositing onto the other side. It’s a very normal occurrence, nothing to be concerned about right now.”

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Derek Wingenbach, municipal engineer with the City of Medicine Hat agrees. He says the current weather conditions are playing a part in these occurrences.

“That is something we consider ‘annually occurring’ based on the lateral migration that is present in the river.” Wingenbach says. “With the recent rains, we can see a little bit of increased surface erosion.”

Wingenbach says the area has no buildings or developments on or close by, posing an even smaller risk to the public.

Porter is reminding the public to use an abundance of caution if they are finding themselves close to the riverbanks or cliffsides.

“Just be careful along the river,” says Porter. “It’s not really anything to be concerned about unless you are by the river. You should always just be careful since the water is so powerful and not to be climbing on cliffs or anything that are unstable. Just stay diligent, it’s not like anything to be too concerned about.”