| LaColle Falls Hydroelectric Dam | |
|---|---|
LaColle Falls Hydroelectric Dam in 1916 |
|
| Country | Canada |
| Location | east of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan |
| Status | abandoned |
| Owner(s) | City of Prince Albert |
| Power station information | |
| Primary fuel | Hydroelectric |
| Power generation information | |
| Installed capacity | 0 MW |
LaColle Falls Hydroelectric Dam is a partially complete hydroelectric dam built by the City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The dam is located on the North Saskatchewan river approximately 45 kilometres east of the city in an area that inaccessible. [1] Construction started in 1909 and the partially complete project was abandoned in 1913 due to high costs and technical difficulties. The motivation of building the dam was to provide cheap power and attract business to the area. [2] The partially complete project had cost nearly $3 million and nearly bankrupted the city in the process.
The site is named after fur trader John Cole, who established a trading post near the rapids in 1776. [3]
In 2009 a proposal was made to conduct an archeological assessment of the site and propose the cite be made a historic site. [4] Prince Albert Tourism was also considering developing a tour to the site using water access. [5] In 2007 an engineering thesis was written outlining how the site could be converted into a spa. [6]