Alameda Dam
The Alameda Dam is an embankment dam located near Alameda, and Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was constructed in 1994 to control flows on the Moose Mountain Creek, and Souris River. It provides flood protection and irrigation for this area of Saskatchewan, along with protection for Minot, North Dakota.[1] The Alameda reservoir provides opportunities for recreational use such as boating and fishing. At the full supply level of 562 metres (1,844 ft), the reservoir holds 105,000,000 cubic metres (3.7×109 cu ft) of water. The project is owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (formerly Saskatchewan Watershed Authority).
| Alameda Dam | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Alameda Dam reservoir | |
| Location | Enniskillen No. 3, near Alameda, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Coordinates | 49°15′32″N 102°13′51″W |
| Opening date | 1994 |
| Owner(s) | Saskatchewan Watershed Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment dam |
| Height | 42 metres (138 ft) |
| Length | 1,660 metres (5,450 ft) |
| Spillway capacity | 1,400 cubic metres (49,000 cu ft) per second |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 105,000,000 cubic metres (3.7×109 cu ft) |
| Surface area | 12.4 square kilometres (4.8 sq mi) |
| Maximum water depth | 35 metres (115 ft) |
Structure
The Alameda dam is a 1,660 metres (5,450 ft) long earthfill dam, with a height of 42 metres (138 ft). The volume of earth in the main dam is 2,900,000 cubic metres (100,000,000 cu ft). The dam is protected by a 224 metres (735 ft) long spillway with a maximum discharge capacity of 1,400 cubic metres (49,000 cu ft) per second.[1]
The dam includes a low-level outlet structure for discharge of water to maintain the quality of the riparian environment downstream of the project, and for irrigation outflow.
The reservoir has a surface area of 12.4 square kilometres (4.8 sq mi) at full supply level. The surrounding drainage area is 2,140 square kilometres (830 sq mi).
A full-time staff of about five people supervises and operates this dam and the Rafferty Dam built at the same time. Together the two projects provide flow control on the Souris River and flood protection for the city of Minot. Operation of the project is governed by an international treaty between Canada and the United States.
References
- Water Security Agency (WSA) of Saskatchewan Fact Sheet Rafferty-Alameda Project, file FS-305
Further reading
- Bill Redekop Dams of Contention: The Rafferty-Alameda Story and the Birth of Canadian Environmental Law, Heartland, Canada, 2012, ISBN 978-1-896150-71-0
- George N. Hood Against the Flow:Rafferty Alameda and the Politics of the Environment, Fifth House Publishers, Saskatoon Saskatchewan, 1994, ISBN 1-895618-35-5