Keenleyside Dam
Encyclopedia
Hugh Keenleyside Dam is a hydroelectric
dam
spanning the Columbia River
, 12 km (6.5 miles) upstream of the city of Castlegar
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
The reservoirs behind the dam is named Arrow Lakes
extending 232 km (144.2 mi) north to Revelstoke Dam
, and contain 8.76 km3 (7.1 MAF) of reservoir volume. The dam is operated by BC Hydro
.
The 853.4 m (2,799.9 ft) long earth fill and concrete dam was built as part of fulfilling Canada's role in the Columbia River Treaty
, and was intended only to control the flow of water in the Columbia River for downstream dams. It was commissioned on October 10, 1968, six months ahead of schedule.
A 185 megawatt (MW) powerhouse, the Arrow Lakes Generating Station, was added in 2002, it produces 772 GW.h annually. The station is owned by the Columbia Power Corporation
.
Several towns were dismantled and relocated before their sites were flooded, including Burton
.
The dam was named after Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside
, the Canadian ambassador to Mexico, 1944-1947. Hugh Keenleyside served as the chairman of the British Columbia Power Commission and co-chairman at the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority from 1962 to 1969.
The Arrow Lakes reservoir is described by BC Hydro as a "great waterway for boating". The dam is equipped with a navigation lock
, which is available at no charge to boaters
. However, commercial traffic and floating logs
have priority over leisure crafts.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
spanning the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, 12 km (6.5 miles) upstream of the city of Castlegar
Castlegar, British Columbia
Castlegar is the second largest city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located within the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. It is a regional trade and transportation centre, with a local economy fueled by forestry, mining and tourism...
, 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...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The reservoirs behind the dam is named Arrow Lakes
Arrow Lakes
The Arrow Lakes in British Columbia, Canada, divided into Upper Arrow Lake and Lower Arrow Lake, are widenings of the Columbia River. The lakes are situated between the Selkirk Mountains to the east and the Monashee Mountains to the west. Beachland is fairly rare, and is interspersed with rocky...
extending 232 km (144.2 mi) north to Revelstoke Dam
Revelstoke Dam
The Revelstoke Dam, also known as Revelstoke Canyon Dam, is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River, 5 km north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The powerhouse was completed in 1984 and has a generating capacity of 2480 MW. Four generating units were installed initially, with one...
, and contain 8.76 km3 (7.1 MAF) of reservoir volume. The dam is operated by BC Hydro
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...
.
The 853.4 m (2,799.9 ft) long earth fill and concrete dam was built as part of fulfilling Canada's role in the Columbia River Treaty
Columbia River Treaty
The Columbia River Treaty is an agreement between Canada and the United States of America on the development and operation of dams in the upper Columbia River basin for power and flood control benefits in both countries. For more information about the Columbia River Treaty, visit Columbia Basin...
, and was intended only to control the flow of water in the Columbia River for downstream dams. It was commissioned on October 10, 1968, six months ahead of schedule.
A 185 megawatt (MW) powerhouse, the Arrow Lakes Generating Station, was added in 2002, it produces 772 GW.h annually. The station is owned by the Columbia Power Corporation
Columbia Power Corporation
Columbia Power Corporation is a Crown Corporation, owned by the province of British Columbia, Canada. Its mandate is to undertake power projects in the Columbia River region of British Columbia....
.
Several towns were dismantled and relocated before their sites were flooded, including Burton
Burton, British Columbia
Burton is a settlement on the Arrow Lakes in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada.Before european contact, Burton was known as xaieken , a large village of Sinixt first nations people. Burton came to be in the 1890's when gold was found at Cariboo Creek, a steamboat...
.
The dam was named after Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside
Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside
Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside, CC was a Canadian university professor, diplomat, and civil servant. He was the Canadian ambassador to Mexico from 1944 to 1947, and Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from January 14, 1947 to September 15, 1950.Born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Ellis William...
, the Canadian ambassador to Mexico, 1944-1947. Hugh Keenleyside served as the chairman of the British Columbia Power Commission and co-chairman at the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority from 1962 to 1969.
The Arrow Lakes reservoir is described by BC Hydro as a "great waterway for boating". The dam is equipped with a navigation lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
, which is available at no charge to boaters
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
. However, commercial traffic and floating logs
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
have priority over leisure crafts.
See also
- Mica DamMica DamThe Mica Dam is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River 135 kilometres north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. Completed in 1973 under the terms of the 1964 Columbia River Treaty, the Mica powerhouse has a generating capacity of . The dam is operated by BC Hydro...
- Revelstoke DamRevelstoke DamThe Revelstoke Dam, also known as Revelstoke Canyon Dam, is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River, 5 km north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The powerhouse was completed in 1984 and has a generating capacity of 2480 MW. Four generating units were installed initially, with one...
- Hydroelectric dams on the Columbia RiverHydroelectric dams on the Columbia RiverHydroelectric dams on the Columbia River and its tributaries in North America.- Mainstem Columbia dams :-Snake River:-Pend Oreille-Clark Fork–Flathead:-Kootenai River:-See also:...