| Ruskin Dam | |
|---|---|
Power house with dam to the left in background |
|
|
|
|
| Country | Canada |
| Location | Ruskin, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1929 |
| Opening date | 1930 |
| Owner(s) | BC Hydro |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Height | 59.4 m (195 ft) |
| Length | 110 m (361 ft) |
| Crest elevation | 45.7 m (150 ft) |
| Impounds | Stave River |
| Type of spillway | Gated ogee crest |
| Spillway capacity | 4,430 m3/s (156,444 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Hayward Lake |
| Capacity | 42,000,000 m3 (34,050 acre·ft) |
| Catchment area | 953 km2 (368 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 3 km2 (741 acres) |
| Normal elevation | 41.1 m (135 ft) |
| Reservoir length | 5.6 km (3 mi) |
| Power station | |
| Owner(s) | BC Hydro |
| Turbines | 3 x 35 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 105 MW |
| Annual generation | 374 GWh |
Ruskin Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Stave River in Ruskin, British Columbia, Canada. The dam was completed in 1930 for the primary purpose of hydroelectric power generation. The dam creates Hayward Lake, which supplies water to a 105 MW power station.
Contents |
The Ruskin Dam was constructed along with the Western Canada Power Company's hydroelectric development of the Stave Valley. In 1912, the Stave Falls Dam was completed and in 1928, the Alouette Dam was finished. Construction on the Ruskin Dam, about 5.6 km (3 mi) downstream of Stave Falls began in 1929 by British Columbia Electric Railway who had previously bought Western Canada Power in 1921.[1] In November 1930, the dam was inaugurated and local businessmen and politicians celebrated by dining in its powerhouse.[2] Only two generators were operational at first and the third was added in 1950. The first superintendent of the Stave Falls Dam is the namesake for Hayward Lake.[1] In 1961, the provincial government took over BC Electric Company, the dam became the property of Crown corporation BC Hydro.[3]
Beginning in 2012 and continuing until 2018,[4] the dam and its facilities are expected to undergo an C$800 million upgrade. The project includes replacing the generators, reinforcing the right bank of the dam, upgrading the intake and penstocks, replacing the spillway piers and gates and relocating the switchyard. The upgrades are aimed at bringing the dam and its facilities up to safety standards, improving their seismic performance and increasing their efficiency and life.[5]
The dam has been a filming location for the TV series The X-Files, MacGyver, Smallville, Dark Angel and the movie The Invisible.[6][7][8] In Smallville episodes "Prototype", "Phantom" and "Bizarro", it is referred to as "Reeves Dam".[9]
The Ruskin Dam is a 59.4 m (195 ft) tall and 110 m (361 ft) long concrete gravity type. The dam creates a reservoir (Hayward Lake) with a 42,000,000 m3 (34,050 acre·ft) capacity and 3 km2 (741 acres) surface area. The dam sits at the head of a 953 km2 (368 sq mi) catchment area and the reservoir extends 5.6 km (3 mi). The dam's spillway is an ogee-type and consists of seven radial gates. It has a 4,430 m3/s (156,444 cu ft/s) maximum discharge capacity. The dam's power station is just downstream and on the river's eastern bank. It contains three 35 MW Francis turbine-generators and water is fed to each by a single penstock. Access to the power station is afforded by a truss bridge from the west side of the river.[10]
The Ruskin Dam is part of the Alouette-Stave Falls-Ruskin Hydroelectric Complex. Upstream of the dam is the Stave Falls Dam and power station at which has an installed capacity of 90 MW. Supplementing Stave Lake is water from Alouette Lake which is created by the Alouette Dam at , 11.5 km (7 mi) northwest of Stave Falls Dam. A 1,067 m (3,501 ft) long tunnel connects Alouette Lake and Stave Lake. At the end of the tunnel is a penstock which feeds an 8 MW power station on the edge of Stave Lake at . Water released from Stave Falls Dam flows into Hayward Lake and is used by the Ruskin Dam for power generation.[10]