(Government of Alberta)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

Phase 2 upgrades at Dickson Dam to begin this year

Apr 27, 2024 | 10:18 AM

The second phase of a project to enhance the Dickson Dam spillway will begin this year, the province shared on Friday.

Capacity will be increased to 4,900 cubic metres per second, up from 3,800. There will also be upgrades to the dike and dam.

This will all improve safety and flood-handling capacity for the Gleniffer Reservoir, a release states.

The Dickson Dam is located about 50 km southwest of Red Deer.

“It’s great to see this significant infrastructure investment in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake,” says that constituency’s MLA, Devin Dreeshen, who is also Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors. “The Dickson Dam is critically important to support better flood mitigation and adequate water supply for the region while also serving as a beautiful tourist attraction and source of hydroelectric power along the Red Deer River.”

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Phase one of this project was completed last October, increasing the existing service spillway’s capacity from 2,500 to 3,500 cubic metres.

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READ MORE: Completion of Dickson Dam upgrades will help protect communities like Red Deer from extreme flooding

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“The Red Deer River Municipal Users Group works to ensure a healthy river system with sufficient flows to sustain communities, the economy and a healthy aquatic system,” says Rudy Friesen, executive director, Red Deer River Municipal Users Group. “We thank the government for helping us achieve our vision through its commitment to the water management program and Dickson Dam.”

The dam itself was built in 1983.

It supplements adequate water supply for Red Deer an Drumheller, and enhances low winter flows along the Red Deer River, the province notes.

The province says Budget 2024 will invest an additional $50 million over three years, for a total north of $140 million, towards ensuring strong water management infrastructure across Alberta.

The province owns and operates more than 80 dams.

It was in October 2018 when the Alberta NDP and federal government originally announced 13.8 million to upgrade the Dickson Dam, with Ottawa covering half. The Government of Alberta confirmed to rdnewsNOW that same funding remains the source for current upgrades.

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