Goat River (Kootenay River tributary) facts for kids
The Goat River is a river in British Columbia, Canada. It flows into the larger Kootenay River near the town of Creston. Long ago, a dam called the Goat River Dam was built here in the 1930s. It helped provide electricity for Creston. Before people built special walls called dikes, the river often caused big floods in the Creston valley during springtime.
Where the Goat River Flows
The Goat River is about 85 kilometers (53 miles) long. It starts high up in the middle of the Purcell Mountains. The river flows mostly south until it meets Kitchener Creek. After that, it turns southwest. It then heads towards the towns of Erickson and Creston.
Near its end, the river's path is used by important transportation routes. This includes the main railway line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It also follows the Crowsnest Highway. The total area that drains into the Goat River is about 69,200 hectares (171,000 acres).
History of the Goat River Valley
In the 1860s, the lower part of the Goat River valley became an important route. It was part of the Dewdney Trail. This trail connected the gold fields near Wild Horse River with the coast. Edgar Dewdney and Walter Moberly planned and built this trail. It was created to help Canada keep control of its southern lands. This was important because Americans were moving into the southern Kootenays.
The Goat River Dam
As the town of Creston grew, it needed more electricity. This led to the building of the Goat River Dam in the early 1930s. This concrete dam is 20 meters (66 feet) tall. It is located five kilometers (3 miles) east of Creston.
The dam provided power until the 1950s. At that time, bigger power projects were built in the Kootenays. These new projects made the Goat River Dam less necessary. Also, the dam had problems with ice in winter. Its water supply was not always steady. Because of these reasons, the dam stopped operating. It was sold in 1979.
