Val Marie Spillway Replacement Project 

The Water Security Agency (WSA) is completing the detailed design of a multi-year project to replace the existing spillway at Val Marie Dam. This project will modernize the structure, improve safety and ensure the dam meets current Canadian Dam Association Safety Guidelines.

• The existing spillway is nearly 90 years old and has reached the end of its service life.
• Aging concrete and structural components require replacement to maintain long-term reliability.
• The current spillway does not provide the capacity needed to meet today’s design standards.
• Replacing the spillway will help bring the dam into alignment with modern dam safety requirements.

The new spillway will include:

• A structure approximately twice as wide as the existing spillway
• Increased capacity of 780 m³/s (compared to 430 m³/s currently)
• A new riparian outlet
• A fishway to restore fish passage along the Frenchman River
• Operational upgrades including electrification and control facilities
• Site roadways, channel, and river crossings for WSA and public use
• Public safety improvements such as fencing, signage, and a floating safety boom

The new spillway will be constructed:

• Slightly downstream of the existing dam
• East of the current spillway

This approach:

• Minimizes cost and operational disruption
• Allows the existing dam to act as a cofferdam
• Maintains water levels in Newton Lake during construction
• Allows the existing spillway to operate during construction

• Design: Ongoing (multi-year process)
• Utility installation: Spring 2027
• Earliest construction start: Within the next five (5) years (TBD)
• Construction duration: Approximately three (3) years

• The dam will continue to operate as it has in recent years.
• Water levels in Newton Lake will stay the same during and after construction.
• Irrigation water supplies will be maintained throughout construction.
• Flow in the Frenchman River will continue to be managed to support downstream needs.

• No major water quality issues are expected
• Turbidity curtains will be used during construction
  • A turbidity curtain is a floating barrier (like a flexible wall in the water) that surrounds the construction area, traps sediment stirred up during work and prevents cloudy water (turbidity) from spreading downstream.
• Water quality monitoring will ensure regulatory standards are met
• A fishway will improve aquatic habitat and fish movement

The project will include important safety upgrades:

• Warning signage
• Chain link fencing
• A floating safety boom in Newton Lake

The safety boom will help prevent debris, boats, and people from entering the spillway.

During Construction

• Heavy equipment and increased traffic near the dam and Highway 4
• Increased business activity in the region, including demand for accommodation, fuel, and services.
• Water levels in Newton Lake will stay the same during and after construction.
• Irrigation water supplies will be maintained throughout construction.
• Public access to the beach may be impacted by the project to ensure public safety.

Have questions or want to stay informed as the project moves forward? We’d love to hear from you.

Contact the Water Security Agency at client.service@wsask.ca or call 1‑866‑727‑5420.