Post on 18-Oct-2020
Looking back to prepare for the future:
The St. Mary, Red Deer and Oldman River Dam projects
Stewart Rood
AIPA 2017WISE
Oldman Dam, June 21 2014
1900 20001950
1867 – Confederation
1882 – Navigable Waters Protection Act
1887 – Treaty 7
1899 – Kimball Weir – St. Mary Project
1903 – Spite Canal
1905 – Province of Alberta
1909 – Boundary Waters Treaty
1915 – American St. Mary Canal
Sherburne Dam
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
0.1
1
10
100
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Lower St. Mary River
Aug. flows
Riv
er
flow
(cm
s)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Year
Dis
charg
e (
m3/s
)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Pota
to W
ate
r U
se (
mm
/day)
~1960
~2060
* **
Upper Waterton - 1908 to 2014
Storage
and
Release
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
SMRID - 2000
~ 1950
River dams were favored as development opportunities.
Southern Albertans were supportive.
The St. Mary Dam would flood Blood Reserve lands,
the Band Council supported the project.
Water storage would allow irrigation expansion,
and enable the Blood Tribe Agricultural Project.
Geotechnical studies were undertaken,
but limited environmental assessment.
Opening – July 1951
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
0.1
1
10
100
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Lower St. Mary River
Aug. flows
minimum flows (1969+)
Riv
er
flow
(cm
s)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 101
1951
1961
1981
1985
2005
River distance (km)
Co
tton
woo
d a
bun
da
nce
(%)
lower St. Mary River
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
1915 - Alberta – Irrigation Districts Act
1919 - Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID)
1930 - Alberta Natural Resources Act
1921 – LNID Weir – On Peigan Reserve
‘Just Add Water’ LNID
minimum flows
Oldman River
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
LNID
Weir
1922
1
10
100
1000
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Oldman River – Lethbridge
August flows
1930 –
Alb
erta
Natu
ral
Resourc
es A
ct
minimum flows
Riv
er
flow
(cm
s)
River: 8%
Diversion: 92%
Lethbridge – July 1988
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
LNID
Weir
1922
Oldman River Dam
- Anticipated after LNID Weir
- 1960 - PFRA – Three Rivers site
- Extensive Environmental Impact Assessment & consultation
- 1980 - Brocket site favored by some on Peigan Band Council
- 1984 - Three Rivers announced by Premier Lougheed
1930 –
Alb
erta
Natu
ral
Resourc
es A
ct
Opposition:
- Dam Busters – local
- Friends of the Oldman Dam (FOR)
- Lonefighters – Peigan members
Legal appeal by FOR, NWPA
- 1992 - Supreme Court - Federal & ProvincialAPWSS, 1992
June 1989
minimum flows
Oldman River Dam Project
First Canadian dam to implement environmental flows
Functional Flow components:
1991 increased minimum flows
1993 flow ramping
people cared
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
LNID
Weir
1922
1930 –
Alb
erta
Natu
ral
Resourc
es A
ct
1992 –
Old
man R
iver D
ecis
ion
Oldman
River
Dam
Project
1992
1
10
100
1000
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Oldman River – Lethbridge
August flows
minimum flows
environmental flows
Riv
er
flow
(cm
s)
Aug. 10, 2014
Lethbridge
Ideal pattern,
Progressive ramping
Waterton
Dam
Oldman River, Lethbridge
Restored woodlands
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
LNID
Weir
1922
1930 –
Alb
erta
Natu
ral
Resourc
es A
ct
1992 –
Old
man R
iver D
ecis
ion
Oldman
River
Dam
Project
1992
minimum flowsenvironmental flows
1
10
100
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Lower St. Mary River
May-Sept. flows
Riv
er
flow
(cm
s)
Lower St. Mary River
- Cottonwoods too far gone
- Willows expanded
- Improved fishery
bowrivercanada.com
AbEnv
bowrivercanada.com
Waterton Reservoir
Flow ramping and the increase in minimum
flow promoted cottonwoods along the lower
Waterton River.
River Research and Applications
Stephen Foster - AEP
Oldman River Dam Project
- Loss of river valley woodland with reservoir flooding
- An unproductive reservoir
- Functional Flows supported by Alberta Environment, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Districts
- Recovery of instream flows through summer, flow ramping
- Environmental benefits along the Oldman, St. Mary, Waterton & S. Sask. Rivers
Cottonwood Park, Lethbridge
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
LNID
Weir
1922
1930 –
Alb
erta
Natu
ral
Resourc
es A
ct
1992 –
Old
man R
iver D
ecis
ion
Oldman
River
Dam
Project
1992
minimum flows
environmental flows
Pine
Coulee
Project
2003
Twin
Valley
Dam
2004
Joint Review
1
10
100
1000
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Red Deer River – Aug. flows
Dickson
Dam
(RDR)
1983
Riv
er
flow
(cm
s)
Water Innovation Program
May 2017
Red Deer River
Continuing cottonwood recruitment
after Dickson Dam
Flow ramping easily achievable.
Laurens Philipsen – Farmers Edge
- Twin Valley Dam - Little Bow River (from Highwood River)
- River water is an Environmental Asset
- Flow augmentation = wider channel & more willows & more birds
Evan Hillman - AEP
Montana, USA
Red Deer
Calgary
Lethbridge
MedicineHat
Bow R.
Oldman R.
St. Mary R.
N
=
+=
+
+
L. Bow R.
+
Following the Oldman River Dam Project
1900 20001950
1915 –
US
A -
St. M
ary
Can
al
1905 –
Pro
vin
ce o
f Alb
erta
1899 –
Kim
ball W
eir
St. M
ary
Pro
ject
1887 –
Tre
aty
7
1882 –
Navig
able
Wate
rs
Pro
tectio
n A
ct
St. Mary
Dam
1951
Waterton
Dam
1964
LNID
Weir
1922
1930 –
Alb
erta
Natu
ral
Resourc
es A
ct
1992 –
Old
man R
iver D
ecis
ion
Oldman
River
Dam
Project
1992
minimum flows
environmental flows
Pine
Coulee
Project
2003
Twin
Valley
Dam
2004
Joint Review
Dickson
Dam
(RDR)
1983
St. Mary Red Deer Oldman Twin Valley
Economic
Investment
Water
Management
First Nations
Environment
Site C Springbank
Blue Era – Dams are Good Green Era – Dams are Bad
Climate
Change
(with Diandra Bruised Head & Nikki Colucci)
Looking back to prepare for the future:
The St. Mary and Oldman River Dam projects
Stewart Rood
AIPA 2017WISE
Oldman Dam, June 21 2014