TRACK 1, DAY 1
Holding Back the Floodwaters – Design and Implementation of a Temporary Riverine Floodwall Along Little Etobicoke Creek
Chris Denich and Chad Cota, Aquafor Beech Ltd.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 | 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. | Hall A
ABSTRACT
As extreme precipitation events become increasingly prevalent across Ontario, municipalities must adopt innovative flood protection measures to safeguard critical infrastructure and private properties. The City of Mississauga experienced two near-100-year rainfall events in 2024 (July 16 and August 17-18), resulting in widespread flooding related damages.
Little Etobicoke Creek, with its watershed area historically developed without conventional stormwater controls and its watercourse channel historically straightened and steepened, was particularly impacted by floodwaters during these storm events. The resulting flooding from these two storms caused significant damages to critical infrastructure and private properties.
In response, the City of Mississauga has initiated a watershed-scale flood remediation study to identify stormwater management control opportunities and potential conveyance improvements. Concurrently, a series of smaller scale flood mitigation measures were investigated for feasibility and effectiveness, for implementation in the near-term.
Among the temporary measures under consideration was a temporary floodwall barrier to reduce riverine flooding risks within flood-prone and sensitive areas.
Following the completion of topographic, ecological, and hydraulic assessments as well as comprehensive stakeholder consultation and community engagement, a pilot temporary floodwall installation was selected for detailed design and implementation.
The selected solution, a 250-metre-long, 1.2-metre-high floodwall within the Applewood Hills Greenbelt was chosen for its modular design, minimal footprint, rapid deployment capability, durability, reusability, and resistance to vandalism. Implementation required limited tree removals and minor park amenity relocations, minimizing impacts to neighboring residences and users of the multi-use trail system within the area.
As part of the temporary floodwall installation process, City of Mississauga Works, Operations, and Maintenance staff were trained in inspection, maintenance, and deployment procedures of the floodwall system to ensure ongoing emergency preparedness and operational readiness.
Assembled in just seven days, this project represents the first application of a temporary floodwall system within the City of Mississauga, serving as a pilot for short-term flood protection infrastructure. Overall, this temporary floodwall initiative along Little Etobicoke Creek demonstrates an effective, rapid-response flood impact mitigation approach in an urban setting.
This precedent-setting initiative highlights the value of adaptive design, cross-discipline collaboration, and proactive public engagement in advancing climate-change resilient infrastructure solutions.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Chris Denich, Aquafor Beech Ltd.
Chris Denich is the Director of Water Resources, Low Impact Development, and Green Infrastructure at Aquafor Beech Limited, where he participates in a variety of municipal, private and public sector projects focusing on the planning, detailed design, tender preparation, construction administration and supervision of Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure stormwater techniques, for both retrofit and new developments.
Chad Cota, Aquafor Beech Ltd.
Chad Cota is a member of Aquafor’s water resources engineering team, contributing regularly to projects related to flood mitigation, watercourse restoration, erosion control, slope stabilization, outfall rehabilitation, and culvert/bridge replacement. He has over 3 years of professional experience and has contributed to over 25 stream restoration and erosion control projects during his time at Aquafor Beech.