The Manitoba government is investing $47 million to support the rehabilitation of the Rivers Dam to increase the dam’s capacity against future major flooding events.
In the summer of 2020, a heavy rainfall event caused record-breaking flooding on the Little Saskatchewan River, impacting the Rivers Dam. During the rainfall, the water level and flows at the dam reached record levels, estimated at a one-in-1,000-year occurrence, causing evacuations and affecting the surrounding communities including Riverdale, Whitehead and Brandon. Further assessment of the dam determined that the capacity needs to be significantly increased to adequately prepare for and safely pass future weather events whether they are caused by spring floods or heavy rains.
“The rehabilitation of the Rivers Dam is of significant importance to Brandon and our region,” said Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett. “As we found out in the 2020 summer event, this is an essential piece of infrastructure upstream from Brandon. This is very great news to have this work being done.”
Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure has already completed the rehabilitation of the low-flow conduit and continues investing in the remaining major works of raising of the dam embankment and rehabilitation of the concrete spillway. The work on the dam is being completed to the Canadian Dam Association’s dam safety guidelines and will be phased so the spillway is functional for the spring and summer to accommodate open water flows. The project is underway and anticipated to be completed in 2027, noted Naylor.
The Rivers Dam controls water levels on Lake Wahtopanah which borders Rivers Provincial Park and is located in the Municipality of Riverdale and Rural Municipality of Oakview.
For more information on Manitoba’s water management and structures, including information on Manitoba’s lakes and river conditions and major flood control infrastructure, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/mit/wms/index.html.
