Community Update: Contract Awarded

May 11, 2018 – Parks Canada has passed another significant milestone for the project to replace the Bobs Lake Dam at Bolingbroke as the construction contract has been awarded to Ross and Anglin Ltd.

Construction is currently scheduled to begin in the summer of 2018 and could start as early as June. The construction contract runs until the Fall of 2019 however a more precise schedule will be known following discussions between Parks Canada and the contractor.

In preparation for construction, area residents may see increased activity at the dam site over the coming months. This includes the removal of shoreline vegetation, the preparation of the work site, archaeological investigations, and additional environmental monitoring.

Parks Canada thanks all residents, partners, and community members for their contributions throughout the preparation and design phases of this project.

Parks Canada Launches Water Management InfoNet

The Rideau Canal National Historic Site website now includes the Water Management InfoNet which will provide residents and visitors with a wide range of additional information. The InfoNet contains background information on water management practices, water management updates, frequently asked questions about water management, and the most recent water levels of lakes along the Rideau Canal and Tay Watersheds.

The new water levels tool within the InfoNet provides lake levels data from hydrometric gauges located at a number of key locations along the Rideau Canal National Historic Site including both Bob and Christie Lakes. This information is intended as supplemental information only and individuals should continue to refer to their respective Conservation Authority or the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry as the primary source for relevant flood forecasting.

The InfoNet can be found at https://pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/rideau/info/infonet

Replacement of the Bobs Lake Dam at Bolingbroke

Due to poor quality rock at the current dam site, the new dam will be located approximately 40m upstream. This new location is between the site of the 1870s era dam and the current dam built in the 1930s.

Additionally, a second spillway will be added to the dam in order to meet current Canadian Dam Association safety guidelines. This additional spillway will act as a redundancy in case one spillway is ever blocked or requires repair. The design also incorporates a small overflow component that will assist in regulating Bobs Lake when at full summer levels without the need to make dam adjustments. Finally, the deck of the dam will be slightly higher and have improved railings in order to provide operators an additional measure of safety during high water events.

The new dam will not alter the water management strategy for Bobs Lake. Furthermore, throughout the construction of the new dam plans will accommodate Parks Canada’s water management requirements and residents should not experience any significant change in water levels due to construction.

The replacement of the Bobs Lake dam is part of Parks Canada’s unprecedented $3 billion dollar investment over 5 years to support infrastructure work to heritage, visitor, waterway and highway assets located within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas across Canada. These historic investments will mitigate health and safety risks, halt the loss of nationally significant built heritage and stimulate the economy in communities across the country.

About Bobs Lake Dam at Bolingbroke

Dams have existed on Bobs Lake at Bolingbroke since at least 1821. In 1870 the dam site was purchased by the Government of Canada in order to enhance the size of the reservoir for the Northern Sector of the Rideau Canal. In 1871 the dam was significantly increased in size and the volume of water in Bobs Lake was raised considerably. The current dam has been in place since 1930 and has seen several major repairs over the course of its operation.

For More Information:

For up-to-date news on infrastructure work along the Rideau Canal, please visit our website: www.pc.gc.ca/rcInfrastructure. If you would like to be added to our community engagement list and receive updates on this project, please e-mail RideauCanal.info@pc.gc.ca and include Bobs Lake Dam in the subject heading.