Stave Falls Dam and Powerhouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stave Falls Dam |
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Interior of the original Stave Falls power house
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 Location of dam in British Columbia, Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Location | Stave Falls |
| Coordinates | 49°13′47″N 122°21′20″W / 49.22972°N 122.35556°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1909 |
| Opening date | 1912 |
| Owner(s) | BC Hydro |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Stave River |
| Length | 122 m (400 ft) Blind Slough Dam: 190 m (623 ft) |
| Elevation at crest | 83.75 m (275 ft) |
| Width (crest) | 5 m (16 ft) Blind Slough Dam: 8.5 m (28 ft) |
| Spillways | 2 |
| Spillway type | Sluice/Tainter gate controlled |
| Spillway capacity | 3,500 m3/s (123,601 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Stave Lake |
| Total capacity | 470,000,000 m3 (381,035 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 1,170 km2 (452 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 62 km2 (24 sq mi) |
| Normal elevation | 82 m (269 ft) |
| Power station | |
| Operator(s) | BC Hydro |
| Commission date | Original: 1911 New: 2000 |
| Turbines | 2 x 45 MW Kaplan turbines |
| Installed capacity | 90 MW |
| Annual generation | 362 GWh |
| Official name: Stave Falls Hydro-Electric Installation National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 2003 |
The Stave Falls Dam is a power plant made of two dams. It is located on the Stave River in Stave Falls, British Columbia, Canada. The main dam was finished in 1912. Its main job was to create hydroelectric power.
To hold more water in Stave Lake, the dam was made taller in 1925. Another dam, called the Blind Slough Dam, was built nearby. It is about 500 m (1,600 ft) north of the main dam. This area was once home to the Stave Falls waterfall. In 2000, the dam's power station was updated after four years of work. The first Stave Falls power station was once the biggest source of hydroelectric power in British Columbia. Today, it is a special place called a National Historic Site of Canada.
How the Dam Started
People first thought about building the Stave Falls Dam in the 1890s. This was when making electricity from water, called hydroelectricity, was becoming popular. The Stave Falls had a 24 m (79 ft) drop, which was perfect for making power. This electricity could then be sold to different customers.
In 1895, a company called Stave Lake Electric and Power Co. Ltd. got permission to study the falls. They wanted to see if they could make electricity there. In 1909, the Western Canada Power Company bought this company. They then started building the dam.
The first machine that made electricity, called a generator, started working in December 1911. A second one began in January 1912. Generators three and four were added later, in 1916 and 1922. In 1921, another company, British Columbia Electric Railway, bought Western Canada Power. They kept working on the power plant.
A fifth generator was put in because engineers realized they could make more power. This was possible by raising the dam and creating a new water storage area. This new area was made by the Alouette Dam in the Alouette River area. The Stave Falls Dam was made taller in 1925. The fifth generator started working on September 19, 1925. In 1926, the Blind Slough Dam was finished. It helped hold the new, larger amount of water and acted as a way to release extra water. The Alouette Dam was completed in 1928.
Modern Updates
Starting in 1995, the old power station was taken out of service. A new power station was built in its place. This new station has two Kaplan turbines. These are like giant spinning wheels that help make electricity.
The project included building a new place for water to enter the power plant. It also involved a new power station building, a channel for water to flow out, and large pipes called penstocks. This big update was finished in January 2000. It made the power plant much stronger. It could now make 90 MW of power, up from 52.5 MW.
The old power station is now a fun place to visit. It is called the Stave Falls Visitor Centre. You can learn about how the dam was built and how hydroelectricity works. It also teaches about different types of energy, history, and how to protect nature.
How the Dam is Built
The Stave Falls Dam is 122 m (400 ft) long. It is made of concrete and rock. The top of the dam is 5 m (16 ft) wide.
The Blind Slough Dam is about 400 m (1,312 ft) north of the main dam. It is 190 m (623 ft) long. Its top is 8.5 m (28 ft) wide. The Blind Slough Dam is used to release extra water. It has 10 special gates called tainter gates and four other gates called sluice gates. It can release a lot of water, up to 3,500 m3/s (123,601 cu ft/s) per second.
The power station that is used today has two 45 MW Kaplan turbines and generators. This means it can make 90 MW of power. One of the machines gets water from a 183 m (600 ft) long tunnel. The other machine gets water from a 202 m (663 ft) long tunnel.
The old power station, which is no longer used, had five older types of machines. These were called horizontal double-Francis turbine-generators. They also had smaller machines called exciters. These helped the main generators work. Large pipes, or penstocks, brought water to these old generators.
How the Dam Works
The Stave Falls Dam is part of a bigger system. This system is called the Alouette-Stave Falls-Ruskin Hydroelectric Complex. Water from Alouette Lake helps fill Stave Lake. Alouette Lake was made by the Alouette Dam. This dam is about 11.5 km (7 mi) northwest of the Stave Falls Dam.
A long tunnel, 1,067 m (3,501 ft) long, connects Alouette Lake and Stave Lake. At the end of this tunnel, a large pipe sends water to the 8 MW Alouette Powerhouse. This powerhouse is right next to Stave Lake.
Water that flows out of Stave Lake goes into Hayward Lake. This water is then used by another power station. This station is next to the Ruskin Dam, which is 5.6 km (3 mi) downstream. So, the water is used to make electricity at several different places!
See also
- BCER Stave Falls Branch
- List of electrical generating stations in British Columbia
