Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Dickson Dam Capacity Enhancement Project: Progress and Plans Through 2025

The Dickson Dam on the Red Deer River is undergoing significant capacity enhancements to improve flood control and water supply capabilities for central Alberta. The multi-phase project, which began in 2023, is making substantial progress with phase two underway in 2024 and expected completion in 2025, alongside plans for further upgrades in the coming years.

Background and Importance of Dickson Dam

Dickson Dam, constructed in 1983, created the Gleniffer Reservoir and has been vital to central Alberta's water management for over four decades. The dam was originally built to augment winter river flows and ensure adequate water supply and wastewater dilution for Red Deer and Drumheller1. Before the dam was constructed, water flows at Red Deer could drop to as low as two cubic metres per second during dry periods. With the dam's operation, minimum water flows of 16 cubic metres per second can be maintained year-round1.

The dam has proven critical to regional development, as Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen noted: "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"10. Without the dam's water management capabilities, Red Deer's population would have been limited to around 40,000 residents based on available water resources5.

Phase One: Completed Enhancements

The first phase of the capacity enhancement project was completed in October 2023 at a cost of $10.5 million15. This initial phase included several significant improvements:

Raising the walls alongside the service spillway12
Enhancing the spillway basin to protect downstream areas from erosion12
Upgrading the spillway's drainage system to safely manage higher peak discharge flows during extreme flood events12
Increasing the service spillway capacity from 2,500 to 3,500 cubic metres per second4 5

These enhancements have already improved the dam's ability to manage water flows, with the higher walls and additional reinforcement allowing maximum outflow to be boosted by 50 percent if needed during high-water events1.

Phase Two: Current Construction and 2025 Completion

The second phase of the Dickson Dam Spillway Enhancement project is now underway in 2024, with completion scheduled for 20253 4 710. This phase represents a more substantial upgrade to the dam's capacity and includes:

Modifications and upgrades to the auxiliary spillway3 7 10
Increasing the auxiliary spillway capacity from 2,800 cubic metres per second to 4,900 cubic metres per second3 7 10
Additional dam and dike upgrades to improve overall structural integrity3 7

This phase is being funded through the provincial $140 million water management program, which includes various water infrastructure projects throughout Alberta311. The combined effect of both phase one and phase two will dramatically increase the dam's ability to manage high water events and control downstream water flow.

Technical Capacity Improvements

When both phases are complete, the spillway capacities will have increased significantly:

Service spillway: from 2,500 to 3,500 cubic metres per second (completed)4 5
Auxiliary spillway: from 2,800 to 4,900 cubic metres per second (by 2025)3 7 10

This represents a substantial improvement in the dam's flood control capabilities, which will help protect downstream communities from severe flooding events.

Phase Three: Future Plans

Looking beyond 2025, Alberta's Budget 2025 includes funding for a third phase of the Dickson Dam capacity enhancement project6. This phase will focus on:

Emergency spillway upgrades6
Further improvements to overall system capacity

The provincial government's 2025-28 Transportation and Economic Corridors Business Plan identifies the Dickson Dam as a priority project to provide additional flood capacity to keep Albertans safe and protect infrastructure9.

Regional Water Management Context

The Dickson Dam upgrades are part of a broader strategy to improve water management in central Alberta. In addition to the dam enhancements, the province is also:

Conducting a feasibility study for a potential new reservoir near Ardley, approximately 40 kilometres east of Red Deer2 8
- Budget 2024 allocated $4.5 million for this study
- The study will explore costs, benefits, and environmental impacts
- First phase expected to be completed by December 2025
- Full study completion anticipated by March 31, 2026
Adding $50 million over three years to the existing $140 million Water Management Program to fund various water infrastructure projects11

Benefits for Central Alberta

The enhanced capacity of the Dickson Dam will provide several critical benefits for central Alberta communities:

Improved flood mitigation, particularly for downstream communities like Red Deer and Drumheller5
- Historical floods in 2005 and 2013 would have caused severe damage to Drumheller without the dam's existing capacity5
Increased water security for municipal, industrial, and agricultural users1 2
- Year-round water supply for regional and municipal growth10
- Ability to maintain sufficient water flows during drought conditions
Preparation for future population growth and increased water demands in the region1

Conclusion

The Dickson Dam capacity enhancement project represents a significant investment in central Alberta's water infrastructure. With phase one completed in 2023, phase two on track for completion in 2025, and phase three planned for future implementation, the dam's ability to manage floods and provide reliable water supplies will be substantially improved. These upgrades ensure that this critical infrastructure can safely manage extreme flood events for years to come while supporting the region's continued growth and development.

As Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environmental and Protected Areas, stated, "These improvements will ensure this critical infrastructure can safely manage extreme flood events for years to come"10. The enhanced Dickson Dam will continue to serve as a cornerstone of water management in central Alberta well into the future.

Citations:

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

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