Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Val Marie Dam Spillway Replacement Project?

• The project will replace the existing 1930s era concrete spillway with a new six (6) bay gate-controlled spillway with greater discharge capacity. Like the existing structure, it will release water from Newton Lake during floods and emergencies.
• The new structure will be built to the east of the existing spillway and include a new armored channel to return the flows from the concrete control structure safely back to the Frenchman River.

Why is the spillway being replaced?

• Built in 1938, this was one of the first dams constructed by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) on the prairies and has served the Val Marie area for nearly 90 years.
• Due to its age, WSA has identified structural concerns with the existing spillway.
• WSA has been reviewing significant repairs or replacements for several years and has determined that full replacement is the best long-term solution.
• Once completed, the new structure will provide a safe, reliable and efficient dam for the region for many years to come.
• General benefits include:
  • The new dam will meet modern Canadian design standards and incorporate updated hydrology studies.
  • It will better protect downstream communities, support agriculture and water security, and manage spring runoff and high flows.
  • Include features like a low‑level outlet and fishway to improve management of water releases and allow natural fish passage across the dam for the first time since 1938.
  • Operations, maintenance and safety will be significantly improved.
  • Public safety will be enhanced with added safety booms, site fencing, site signage, etc.

Where will the new dam be constructed?

• The new dam will be constructed north of the existing structure and in front of the embankment to allow construction to occur in the dry. New embankments will be built to tie the concrete spillway into the existing dam. The isolated area of the old dam will be removed when the new concrete structure is ready to flow water. At that point, the original concrete spillway will be decommissioned.

Why not construct the new dam south of the existing dam against the valley wall?

• The project team considered that location and the ramifications which included:
  • Access to construction would be cut off by flood events.
  • River valley walls are geotechnically unstable and prone to movement, slumps and slides. Several spillways that were built against valley walls suffer from instability and movement.
  • The native prairie to the south of the existing spillway is home to many rare plants and animals that are only found in Southwest Saskatchewan.

How long will the project take to complete?

• Engineering and design drawings for the dam are approaching 90 per cent complete, with final design targeted for March 2027.
• SaskPower (electrical utility) transmission upgrades to service the new site are expected to begin in spring 2027.
• Construction is expected to start within the next five (5) years, pending funding. The duration of construction is expected to take about two (2) years.

What will the project cost?

• The final project cost will be published to the SaskTenders website after the public procurement to hire the Prime Contractor closes and the contract is awarded.

Will the Prime Contractor purchase local rock piles for use in the dam construction?

• WSA collected email addresses and will publish those addresses with the public procurement to facilitate the Prime Contractor finding rocks ranging in size from 6 to 24 inches in diameter which will be needed to protect the bed and banks of the new dam embankment and the realignment of the Frenchman River channel.
• That said, local rocks are known to be chemically reactive with Portland cement and cause premature concrete cracking and thus may be unsuitable for use as concrete aggregate. WSA and/or its engineer will be testing local aggregate sources for suitability.

Will the Prime Contractor support the local economy?

• WSA supports and encourages Prime Contractor’s to shop local where possible. Please reach out to WSAClientServices@wsask.ca to have your local business added to the stakeholder list that will be issued with the public procurement.
• A list of potential local vendors includes (but is not limited to):
  • Accommodation (including RVs or those who might be interested in hosting a construction camp on a serviced farmyard / home quarter
  • Catering
  • Janitorial
  • Septic cleaning
  • Snow clearing
  • Mowing
  • Earth material supply: sand, gravel, rip rap rock, clay
  • Welding services
  • Bulk fuel and propane delivery
  • Supply of lumber and plywood
  • Site Security
  • Fencing (chain link, barb wire)
  • Delivery and hotshot services

Who are the key stakeholders?

• The dam is owned and operated by the province of Saskatchewan and serves the residents of the Val Marie area. Newton Lake provides recreational use, acts as a bird sanctuary and provides valuable irrigation water for local farms and ranches in the Frenchman River valley.
• It also plays an important role in meeting international apportionments under the terms and conditions of the Boundary Water Treaty Act 1909 with the United States. Located on the Frenchman River, the dam is the last control structure before the river flows into the United States.

Will the operations of the structure change during and after construction?

• Operations of the structure during construction will be status quo until the new structure is ready to accept water.
• After construction, the fishway will operate in the spring to support the spring fish spawning activities. This structure is weir controlled and will cease to operate when the water levels fall below the weir inlet. The fishway was designed for a maximum flow of 0.75 cubic meters per second. The majority (if not all) of the international flow will be met with the fishway. A Low-Level Outlet will be installed that will provide WSA with the ability to augment the fishway flows, if needed. The new spillway structure will only be utilized in high flow situations like flooding.

How will the lake levels be managed during construction?

• The existing spillway will remain in operation until the new spillway is ready to pass flows. WSA will continue to operate the dam in the same manner as it has been operated since the dam transfer in 2017. Irrigation will be unaffected by the construction.

Can the capacity of Newton Lake be increased?

• The crest of the earthen dam embankments are not being raised so the water level stored behind the dam will not be increased. WSA’s priority is safe operation of the dam. Allowing the water to rise above the designed Full Supply Level puts the stability of the dam at risk.
• Dredging the lake bottom was not considered for multiple reasons:
  • The work would be prohibitively expensive and generate massive volumes of waste material that would need to be relocated.
  • Draining the reservoir would result in the death of fish.
  • Removing the nutrient rich silt that grows aquatic vegetation would be considered Habitat Destruction under the legislated Federal Fisheries Act.

Will WSA know how much water is released downstream?

• The new fishway structure is designed with a v-notch weir. Water level instrumentation will be provide accurate lake level measurements and a simple flow formula will provide the volume of water being released downstream.
• Historical water levels in Newton Lake have been collected by the Water Survey of Canada since 1937 and can be publicly accessed, if interested. https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/historical_e.html?stn=11AC056

What safety measures are being deployed?

• WSA will be installing a high visibility yellow safety boom in the lake in front of the structure to prevent any boats or people from entering the dangerous headwaters area of the dam. Fencing will be erected around the concrete structure to prevent public access to areas where a person could experience slips, trips, falls or electrocution.

Will the public be able to fish off the crest of the dam during construction?

• The crest of the dam will be unavailable during construction activities to the public for safety reasons.

Will the public be able to resume fishing on the crest of the dam after construction ends?

• The crest of the dam at either end will be gated to prevent public entry for the following reasons:
  • The crest currently experiences rutting from vehicular traffic when conditions are wet.
  • Vehicles parked on the crest can inhibit Operations and Maintenance staff from reaching the spillway structure.
  • Vehicles travelling on the gabion baskets incur damage to the baskets.
  • No available space to turn around so vehicles would have to back out.

Where will the public access be?

• Included in the project is an improved lower access road to facilitate the local farming and ranching activities.

How will the fishway be used to pass water?

• Fish in the Frenchman River typically migrate upstream during spring freshet. The fishway is designed to operate during this period to support their passage. It is controlled by a weir and will naturally stop flowing in early summer when Newton Lake levels drop below the weir invert. Stoplogs allow the fishway to be isolated for maintenance or to retain water in Newton Lake during drought conditions. During spring, the fishway will be the primary outlet for downstream flows, supplemented by the Low-Level Outlet and Main Spillway as needed. Outside the spring spawning period, the Low-Level Outlet will serve as the primary means of passing water downstream.

How will the new fishway impact the lake?

• This fishway will reinstate fish passage across the dam, something that has not been in place since 1938. This will increase fish population health and biodiversity in both the Frenchman River downstream of the dam as well as in Newton Lake. The new fishway is specifically designed to help slower, smaller fish species transit across the dam. These species also tend to be food sources for larger sport fish like northern pike and walleye. Overtime, local stakeholders should notice improvements in both forage and sport fishing populations.

What creates adverse water quality?

• Construction activities near or in the water can create turbid water by introducing soil particles into the water. This can be visually seen in the water as turbidity or cloudy water. Turbidity curtains are a tool that is utilized to manage turbid water.

What are turbidity curtains?

• Turbidity curtains are floating barrier made of rubber or plastic with a weighted bottom that helps contain cloudy, sediment filled water and keep it separate from cleaner water. This prevents sediment from spreading into surrounding areas where it can affect fish and amphibians. Water inside the curtain is monitored and only released when its turbidity is similar to the water outside. Over time, the sediment settles to the lake bottom and the water clears.

How will WSA ensure that invasive weed species are not introduced to the construction site?

• WSA’s construction specifications require that all equipment be washed off-site prior to travelling to the Val Marie construction site to prevent this transport of species into new environments. The Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit will also carry terms requiring the same pre-treatment for equipment.
• If the Prime Contractor purchases local rock piles, that material will also have to be washed and deemed clean prior to transporting to site.

What will WSA do for environmental monitoring during and after construction?

• WSA will require the contractor to follow a detailed environmental monitoring plan during construction. The contractor must submit this plan for review and approval before work begins and WSA will monitor compliance throughout the project. Environmental monitoring will be particularly rigorous at Val Marie due to its location in the Frenchman River watershed, including being south of the divide conservation area and on a watercourse that drains into the Gulf of Mexico, and the presence of sensitive species such as sage grouse, swift fox and burrowing owls.

Did WSA execute an Environmental Impact Assessment?

• WSA is reviewing the project with the Ministry of Environment to confirm whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. Based on the current scope, WSA does not anticipate an EIA will be needed because the project is a replacement of an existing spillway within the existing footprint and is not expected to create new environmental effects, such as additional flooding or changes to downstream river flows. If an EIA is required, it will be completed following the Duty to Consult process.

Did WSA complete a Heritage Resource Assessment?

• WSA completed a heritage screening of the project site and intentionally located the new spillway within an area previously disturbed by construction of the existing dam and subsequent agricultural activities. A desktop review identified one nearby quarter section as potentially heritage sensitive; however, further review found that the area had been significantly altered during dam construction in the 1930s and by later land use activities. Based on the screening results, site history and low potential for intact heritage resources, the Heritage Conservation Branch agreed that a Heritage Resource Impact Assessment was not required.

Will WSA be conducting a Provincial Duty to Consult?

• WSA, via the Ministry of Agriculture, will be formally triggering a Provincial Duty to Consult (DTC), likely by early 2027. The Ministry of Agriculture is triggering as they are the responsible agency for the Frenchman River. WSA has already begun reaching out to potential Indigenous and Métis rights holders in the area in advance of the formal DTC triggering.