W. A. C. Bennett Dam
Encyclopedia
The W. A. C. Bennett Dam is a large hydroelectric
earthfill dam
on the Peace River
in northern British Columbia
, Canada
. The dam, located 19 kilometres (12 mi) west of Hudson's Hope
, and 85 kilometres (53 mi) northwest of Chetwynd
, is named after the late former premier W. A. C. Bennett, and came on-line in 1968. During the planning and construction phase it was called the "Portage Mountain Development."
The complex consists of the main earth-fill
dam, which holds back Williston Lake
, and the partially-underground Gordon M. Shrum Generating Station. It is capable of generating 2,730 megawatts of electricity at peak capacity. The dam is constructed 660 m (2,165.4 ft) above sea level.
(now BC Hydro), under the direction of Dal Grauer. B.C. Electric obtained the necessary permits and land titles to proceed with the project, completed the design and made preparations for work to begin on site in 1963.
On August 1st, 1961 the government of WAC Bennett announced its intention to take over B.C. Electric (B.C.E); that intention became law on August 3rd. In January 1962 {B.C.E.) was merged with the BC Power Commission to form the BC Hydro and Power Authority. After a BC Supreme Court ruling that the expropriation was illegal and the price too low, and after intense negotiations, an agreement was reached between the government and the former owners of B.C.E. for the sale and an adjustment in the price from $171 million to $197 million. Several of the top executives of B.C.E. left the newly created Crown Corporation, B.C. Hydro, and construction proceeded under new management.
The finished project was brought online in the late 1960s and has provided British Columbia, and in particular the Lower Mainland and the City of Vancouver and export markets in the United States, with electricity ever since. The reservoir, once filled, flooded the Finlay, Parsnip, and Peace River valleys and became the largest man made lake on the planet. This flooding was not without consequence, however, to the people who had been living in those valleys.
At the time, the Peace River project was one of the largest developments of its kind in the world. It provided thousands of jobs during construction. Together with development of the Columbia River
dams, the other component of Bennett's Two River Policy, the dam provided relatively inexpensive electricity to the province which has been credited with facilitating rapid development throughout British Columbia over the following decades.
George R. Pearkes and local Peace River enthusiasts." "For years, some people have been saying 'damn Bennett.' It's nice to see it reversed for a change.", remarked Bennett.
, formerly known as the Ingenika band, comprising some 125 families (many of whom spoke no English), were moved from their traditional village site, where they supported themselves by hunting and trapping, to what were supposed to be model reserves a couple of hundred kilometres south near the booming mill town of Mackenzie
. The entire band received a total compensation of $35,000.
Over the next couple of years, many went back to Ingenika Point, a low bluff overlooking the water that covered their traditional home. That was where they were living 20 years later, when they were rediscovered by government officials, living in conditions that Social Credit Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stephen Rogers called "the most primitive I've ever seen." A great many of them wound up living on the streets of Prince George and Vancouver, and, of those, many did not live long. The Tsay Keh Dene received additional compensation from the Province in the autumn of 2006.
In October 2008, the Kwadacha First Nation, another group whose settlement Fort Ware is at the north end of the Finlay Reach of Lake Williston, reached a settlement with the BC government and BC Hydro over damages suffered during construction and operation of the dam and Williston Reservoir
. The settlement includes a $15 million lump-sum payment and annual payments of $1.6 million adjusted for inflation.
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...
earthfill 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...
on the Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
in northern 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 dam, located 19 kilometres (12 mi) west of Hudson's Hope
Hudson's Hope, British Columbia
Hudson's Hope is a district municipality in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, in the Peace River Regional District. It covers an area of with a population of 1,157 people. Having been first settled in 1805, it is the third oldest community in the province, although it was not incorporated...
, and 85 kilometres (53 mi) northwest of Chetwynd
Chetwynd, British Columbia
The District of Chetwynd is a town located on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Situated on an ancient floodplain, it is the first town eastbound travellers encounter after emerging from the Rockies along Highway 97 and acts as the gateway to the Peace...
, is named after the late former premier W. A. C. Bennett, and came on-line in 1968. During the planning and construction phase it was called the "Portage Mountain Development."
The complex consists of the main earth-fill
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...
dam, which holds back Williston Lake
Williston Lake
Williston Lake is a reservoir created by the W. A. C. Bennett Dam and is located in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada.-Geography:...
, and the partially-underground Gordon M. Shrum Generating Station. It is capable of generating 2,730 megawatts of electricity at peak capacity. The dam is constructed 660 m (2,165.4 ft) above sea level.
Visitor Centre
The W.A.C. Bennett Dam Visitor Centre is located at the dam, overlooking Williston Lake Reservoir. The centre features exhibits on the dam, hydroelectricity, and the area's natural and cultural history. There is also a video theatre and a cafe. The dam is also very close to the Peace River dam, a few miles south.History
The Peace River dam was originally conceived half a century ago by the British Columbia Electric CompanyBritish Columbia Electric Railway
The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the...
(now BC Hydro), under the direction of Dal Grauer. B.C. Electric obtained the necessary permits and land titles to proceed with the project, completed the design and made preparations for work to begin on site in 1963.
On August 1st, 1961 the government of WAC Bennett announced its intention to take over B.C. Electric (B.C.E); that intention became law on August 3rd. In January 1962 {B.C.E.) was merged with the BC Power Commission to form the BC Hydro and Power Authority. After a BC Supreme Court ruling that the expropriation was illegal and the price too low, and after intense negotiations, an agreement was reached between the government and the former owners of B.C.E. for the sale and an adjustment in the price from $171 million to $197 million. Several of the top executives of B.C.E. left the newly created Crown Corporation, B.C. Hydro, and construction proceeded under new management.
The finished project was brought online in the late 1960s and has provided British Columbia, and in particular the Lower Mainland and the City of Vancouver and export markets in the United States, with electricity ever since. The reservoir, once filled, flooded the Finlay, Parsnip, and Peace River valleys and became the largest man made lake on the planet. This flooding was not without consequence, however, to the people who had been living in those valleys.
At the time, the Peace River project was one of the largest developments of its kind in the world. It provided thousands of jobs during construction. Together with development of 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...
dams, the other component of Bennett's Two River Policy, the dam provided relatively inexpensive electricity to the province which has been credited with facilitating rapid development throughout British Columbia over the following decades.
Naming
Naming of the dam after the sitting Premier was reportedly the result of pressure from "Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
George R. Pearkes and local Peace River enthusiasts." "For years, some people have been saying 'damn Bennett.' It's nice to see it reversed for a change.", remarked Bennett.
Impact on aboriginal people
The Tsay Keh DeneTsay Keh Dene
Stay Keh Dene, meaning "people of the rocks" in the Sekani language, may mean:*the Sekani people of northern British Columbia, Canada*the Tsay Keh Dene First Nation, the band government of the Sekani people*the Sekani language...
, formerly known as the Ingenika band, comprising some 125 families (many of whom spoke no English), were moved from their traditional village site, where they supported themselves by hunting and trapping, to what were supposed to be model reserves a couple of hundred kilometres south near the booming mill town of Mackenzie
Mackenzie, British Columbia
Mackenzie is a District Municipality within the Fraser-Fort George Regional District in central British Columbia, Canada. The settlement is located at the south end of Williston Lake. The townsite, established by Alexandra Forest Industries, was named for Sir Alexander MacKenzie . Mackenzie's two...
. The entire band received a total compensation of $35,000.
Over the next couple of years, many went back to Ingenika Point, a low bluff overlooking the water that covered their traditional home. That was where they were living 20 years later, when they were rediscovered by government officials, living in conditions that Social Credit Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stephen Rogers called "the most primitive I've ever seen." A great many of them wound up living on the streets of Prince George and Vancouver, and, of those, many did not live long. The Tsay Keh Dene received additional compensation from the Province in the autumn of 2006.
In October 2008, the Kwadacha First Nation, another group whose settlement Fort Ware is at the north end of the Finlay Reach of Lake Williston, reached a settlement with the BC government and BC Hydro over damages suffered during construction and operation of the dam and Williston Reservoir
Williston Lake
Williston Lake is a reservoir created by the W. A. C. Bennett Dam and is located in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada.-Geography:...
. The settlement includes a $15 million lump-sum payment and annual payments of $1.6 million adjusted for inflation.
See also
- List of conventional hydroelectric power stations
- List of power stations in Canada
- Peace Canyon DamPeace Canyon DamThe Peace Canyon Dam is a large hydroelectric dam on the Peace River in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is located southwest of Hudson's Hope, downstream from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam....