MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Officials with the province and with the Water Security Agency were touting progress Thursday with the $12 million Buffalo Pound Dam project.
The province provided their update at the Water Security Agency offices in Moose Jaw. They pointed to a number of proactive improvements done to this point at Buffalo Pound Lake, which supplies water to communities including Regina and Moose Jaw as well as to the various nearby industrial facilities and two potash mines.
Kevin Wingert, Executive Director of Operations and Maintenance of Water Security Agency, highlighted some of what had already taken place, including their Emergency Spillway project.
“While it isn't something that's used often or part of our normal operations, it is the dam's most important safety feature,” said Wingert.
It is designed “to safely pass water during extreme runoff and high water events. The upgrades focused on strengthening the spillway for the future. That includes restoring sections of the dam to their original design elevation and adding significant erosion protection below the structure.”
He called it a “good example of the kind of proactive work that we want to be doing, identifying potential issues early and making investments that will help risks down the road.”
Another thing he pointed to is the modernization happening behind the scenes at the dam — something that may not be so visible to the public from the outside.
“Enhanced monitoring systems and upgraded operating equipment give our operators and engineers better information, helping them make informed decisions, identify concerns early, and plan maintenance more effectively.”
Safety has also been a key focus, Wingert said. He pointed to their control structure project, where “we've replaced the aging equipment, improved backup power capabilities, and constructed a new control building.”
Wingert said the project has also included a “new safety boom system that was designed and that will help keep public away from fast-moving water near the control structure.” He says these upgrades “will help ensure the dam continues to operate safely and reliably for years to come.”
Minister for Water Security Agency David Marit pointed to the importance of the upgrades to Buffalo Pound Dam over the last five or six years, so that “we have a good, reliable source of water. We've got to make sure that the infrastructure is in place so that we don't jeopardize any of that potential and challenges that could come with it.”
The minister noted in speaking to reporters that “we all take water at home for granted (when) we turn the tap on and it comes out… but we have to have the resource there.”
Marit said it was important to keep the infrastructure in place to serve the growing communities as well as provide water to processing plants, fertilizer plants and potash mines. “It's important for us to make sure that we have a reliable… water source and Buffalo Pound is a big source of that.”
Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock pointed to the importance of Buffalo Pound Lake to the region.
“Every day, close to 300,000 people across southern Saskatchewan rely on water that originates from Buffalo Pound Lake,” the mayor said at the announcement.
“Today's announcement of the emergency spillway upgrades at Buffalo Pound Dam is an important investment in protecting this essential resource for generations to come. By strengthening this critical infrastructure, we are enhancing our region's ability to withstand future environmental challenges while protecting the reliability of the water supply that families, businesses, industries, and communities depend on every day.”
Murdock said the project also “complements the significant renewal work underway at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, as well as Moose Jaw’s own investments in critical water infrastructure over the past eight years, including a new transmission line and the high-service pump house reservoir.”
Murdock said the investments are “helping to secure a reliable and resilient water system for our region. Moose Jaw is growing, our economy is evolving, and our region continues to attract new opportunities. Reliable infrastructure is the foundation that makes that growth possible.”
