REGINA — The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (WSA) has announced funding for three reservoirs in the southeast, as part of Wednesday's broader announcement of 60 projects worth $42 million.
As part of its 10-year capital plan, the WSA says it will be investing more than $1.5 million to complete design improvements for the diversion channel from Boundary Reservoir to Rafferty Reservoir.
The 10.9-kilometre diversion canal was constructed several decades ago to divert surplus flows in Long Creek, which cannot be stored in Boundary Reservoir, to Rafferty Reservoir and to stabilize Rafferty's levels.
The WSA says it is also investing more than $200,000 at Grant Devine Dam for public and operator safety upgrades, including improvements to the hydraulic power unit, used to operate outlet gates.
Finally, the WSA says it is working on erosion repairs near Rafferty Dam.
These projects will be completed within the next one to two years.
Previously, the provincial government announced in its budget it was committing $3 million for a flood passage project for Grant Devine Lake, due to a railway that crosses the channel downstream from the dam.
Under extreme flows, the railway embankment restricts flood waters from passing further downstream, creating dam safety concerns. The WSA is working with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway to address this matter.
The WSA has completed a procurement options analysis that will help guide the selection of a procurement model to further the project. Over the next two years, the project will focus on detailed site investigations, engineering analysis and design.
Elsewhere in the province, out of the $42 million committed this fiscal year, nearly $17 million is being allocated to six major projects, including:
- Craven Dam: Fishway bulkheads and lifting system
- Buffalo Pound Dam: Emergency spillway upgrades
- East Side Pumpstation (Lake Diefenbaker): Substation upgrades
- Gardiner Dam: Public safety and operator safety upgrades (considered two projects)
- Moosomin Dam: Spillway Upgrades
There are numerous other dam infrastructure projects planned throughout many regions of the province, including areas around Cumberland House, Meadow Lake, Outlook, Craik, Cypress Hills, Swift Current, Lafleche-Val Marie, Humboldt-Watrous, Fort Qu'Appelle, Craven, Regina and Saskatoon that have started or are in the preliminary planning stage.
For more information on the WSA and to learn more about dams and reservoirs, please visit wsask.ca.
