Coquitlam Dam
Encyclopedia
The Coquitlam Dam is a hydraulic fill embankment dam
on the Coquitlam River
in the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia
. It is part of BC Hydro's
electrical generation infrastructure.
by five feet, was begun in April 1904, and completed in 1905. It was built to protect the water supply to powerhouses on Indian Arm
, via a tunnel to Buntzen Lake
, and also supplied water to New Westminster. By 1906 the original dam was discovered to be leaking, and while repairs were made the leak continued through 1908, until a second dam was completed in 1914. At the time of the tunnel's completion, it was the longest power diversion tunnel in the world. Due to seismic concerns, an embankment dam was built on the downstream side of the original rockfill dam in 2008.
Embankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
on the Coquitlam River
Coquitlam River
The Coquitlam River is located in between the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, suburban municipalities located in the Metro Vancouver. This river is a tributary for the Fraser River. Each year hundreds of salmon return to spawn in the Coquitlam River. There is a reservoir near the...
in the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It is part of BC Hydro's
BC Hydro
The BC Hydro and Power Authority is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia generally known simply as BC Hydro. It is the main electric distributor, serving 1.8 million customers in most areas, with the exception of the Kootenay region, where FortisBC, a subsidiary of Fortis...
electrical generation infrastructure.
History
The first Coquitlam Dam, built to raise the water level of Coquitlam LakeCoquitlam Lake
Coquitlam Lake is a reservoir located just north of Coquitlam, British Columbia. It is one of the three main water sources for Metro Vancouver, and also a part of BC Hydro's power generation system...
by five feet, was begun in April 1904, and completed in 1905. It was built to protect the water supply to powerhouses on Indian Arm
Indian Arm
Indian Arm is a steep-sided glacial fjord adjacent to the city of Vancouver in southwestern British Columbia. Formed during the last Ice Age, it extends due north from Burrard Inlet, between the communities of Belcarra and the District of North Vancouver , then on into mountainous wilderness...
, via a tunnel to Buntzen Lake
Buntzen Lake
Buntzen Lake is a 4.8 kilometres long lake in Anmore, British Columbia, Canada, in the Greater Vancouver area. It is named after the first general manager of the B.C. Electric Co., Johannes Buntzen...
, and also supplied water to New Westminster. By 1906 the original dam was discovered to be leaking, and while repairs were made the leak continued through 1908, until a second dam was completed in 1914. At the time of the tunnel's completion, it was the longest power diversion tunnel in the world. Due to seismic concerns, an embankment dam was built on the downstream side of the original rockfill dam in 2008.