The Springbank reservoir, designed to protect Calgary from another devastating flood, has cleared a significant regulatory hurdle. The project, to be built just west of the city limits, would divert water from the Elbow River into a dry reservoir in the case of high water flows. On Tuesday, the the Natural Resources Conservation Board, a provincial body, determined the project was in the public interest despite some vociferous opposition from area landowners. It assessed environmental, social and economic impacts.