Overview of the Kaministiquia River System for the PAC to the Thunder Bay RAP January 7, 2015 Presentation Overview • OPG and Northwest Operations • Kaministiquia River System Overview • Kam WMP and Requirements • Shebandowan Dam Replacement • opg.com for water levels and flows 2 OPG Profile • 16,227 MW generating capacity • 65 hydro, 2 nuclear, 5 thermal • Produces more than half of Ontario’s electricity 3 Northwest Operations Hydro Thermal 4 Northwest Operations - Hydro • 11 hydroelectric generating stations • 38 generating units • 5 watersheds: • Aguasabon; Nipigon; Kaministiquia; English; Winnipeg • 4 Work Centers : • Thunder Bay ; Kenora; Ear Falls; Cameron Falls • 665 MW capacity 5 Aguasabon River System 6 Nipigon River7 System English River System 8 Winnipeg River System 9 Kaministiquia River System 10 Northwest Operations - Thermal • 2 generating stations • 346 MW Capacity • Thunder Bay – 1 Unit Advanced Biomass (135MW) • Atikokan – 1 Unit Biomass (211MW) 11 Kaministiquia River Watershed Original Dog R. Channel Matawin River Matawin River Shebandowan River Image Source: OPG. (2005). Kaministiquia River Watershed. Dam Safety & Emergency Preparedness. Dwg No.: 127-D3H-08410-0003-0001 Ver 0. Kaministiquia Watershed – Schematic Dog Lake Dog Lake Dam Penstock Kashabowie Lake Silver Falls GS Kashabowie Kashabowie Lake River Dam Shebandowan Lake Dam Shebandowan Lake Shebandowan Greenwater Mabella Dam River Creek Greenwater Greenwater Lake Dam Kaministiquia River Lake Matawin River Dam (OMNR) Kakabeka Falls Dam Aqueduct and Matawin River Penstock Lake Kakabeka River GS Direction of Flow Dam Lake Generating Station Superior (GS) 13 Kaministiquia Watershed – Profile View Image Source: Google, Inc. Google Maps. (2011). <http://www.maps.google.com/> Image Source: OPG. (2008). Kam River System Profile. Drawing: 09421- DAH-09060-0003_V00 Kaministiquia River System Control Structures § 5 Main Control Structures Dog Lake Dam #2 § Dog Lake Dams 1 & 2, Greenwater, Kashabowie & Shebandowan Dams § 2 Generating Stations § Kakabeka Falls (25 MW) Greenwater Lake Dam § Silver Falls (48 MW) Kashabowie Lake Dam Silver Falls GS & Surge Shebandowan Lake Dam Kakabeka Falls GS Tower Water Management on the Kaministiquia River 16 • Prior to 1990 - Ontario Hydro voluntarily managed water flows and levels for power generation as well as to accommodate other user interest groups • 1990 - Kaministiquia Water Management Study provided recommendations for the operation of the river system • 2002 - An amendment to the Lakes & Rivers Improvement Act (LRIA) requires all owners of water power facilities in Ontario to prepare a WMP 17 Water Management Plan (WMP) • Required by the OMNR – ‘New Business Relationship’ with hydropower industry – Amendments to the Lakes & Rivers Improvement Act (2002) • The Goal: Support sustainable development of water resources for water power and other uses, while protecting and enhancing the natural ecosystems • Identifies water flow and level compliance requirements – Waterpower facilities (generating stations) – Control structures (dams) • Developed through a formal planning process 18 The Kaministiquia River System WMP • Finalized in June of 2005 • Valid for a 10 year period – July 1st, 2005 – March 31st, 2015 • Planning process involved – Proponents (OPG & OMNR) – Regulator (OMNR) – Public Advisory Committee (PAC) & First Nations • Friends of the Kam • AbitibiBowater Pulp & Paper Canada • Fort William Historical Park • Dog Lake Campers’ Association • Northwestern Ontario Prospectors Association • Municipality of Conmee • Thunder Bay Soil & Crop Improvement Association • Municipality of Oliver-Paipoonge • Northwestern Ontario Sportsman’s Alliance • Shebandowan Lake Advisory Committee • Lakehead University – Wetland & Environment 19 The Kaministiquia River System WMP • SAC Members – Dog Lake Camper’s Association – Shebandowan Lake Campers Association (also represent Kashabowie) – Lakehead Region Conservation Authority – Resolute Forest Products – Fort William Historical Park – Friends of the Kam – Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge – Upper Kam Residents OPG and OMNR are committee resources • Reports (2) – Annual compliance report and letter report immediately following an out of compliance condition – Annual summary report of the watershed 20 Dog Lake § Water intake via underground tunnel from south end of Dog Lake § Silver Falls GS operated remotely from NWCC § Dog Lake Dam operated manually § Maximum output: 48 MW at 52cms Dog Lake Dam #2 § Maximum Dam outflow = 783 cms Silver Falls Generating Station Silver Falls Generating Station Data Source: OPG. (2011). NWPG Water Management Procedure. NW-PROC-P21-WM Rev. 2. Dog Lake – Water Level Compliance Max compliance range: 3.54m. (418.00 – 421.54m) 22 Data Source: OPG. (2011). NWPG Water Management Procedure. NW-PROC-06-WM Rev. 2. Kashabowie Lake Control Dam – Single sluice & spillwall – Operated manually – Max outflow = 22.3cms Kashabowie Lake Dam Kashabowie – Water Level Compliance Max compliance range: 1.3m (458.40 – 459.70 m) 24 Kashabowie – Outflow Compliance Minimum Outflow Compliance • 0.5cms year round • 1.5cms April 15 to June 1st (for walleye spawning ) Shebandowan Lake Control Dam The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again. – 5 sluice dam – Operated manually – Max outflow = 76cms Shebandowan Lake Dam Shebandowan – Water Level Compliance Max compliance range: 1.05m (449.50 – 450.55) 27 Shebandowan – Outflow Compliance Minimum Outflow Compliance • 1cms year round (leakage) 28 Kakabeka Dam, Intake and GS – 6 manual sluices – 1 remote sluicegate – 1 ice sluice (not used) – Max outflow = 893cms – 4 unit GS – Operated remotely – Max outflow = 57cms Kakabeka Falls Kakabeka Falls Generating Station 30 Kakabeka – Total Outflow Compliance Minimum Outflow Compliance • 11cms winter • 17cms summer Kakabeka Dam – Outflow Compliance Dam Min Outflow Compliance = 0.5cms 32 Kakabeka Dam – Outflow Compliance Minimum Scenic Flow Requirement Victoria Day to Thanksgiving (7am to 9pm) • 4.25cms weekdays • 8.5 weekends 33 Lower Kaministiquia River Lake Sturgeon Flow Requirements • In 2002-05 WMP discussions – flow requirement for lake Sturgeon was a major issue • 2005-2013 MNR/OPG studies • 2014 Instituted during May 5 – July 1 – 25 cms minimum total river flow after May 5th (upstream migration from lower river) – 14 cms minimum spill over falls May 15* – June 27 (spawning and drift) – 3cms/day spill rampdown June 27 – July1 *May 15 or when KB TW temp reaches 11C § Original Dam built in 1923, replaced in 1956 § Existing dam is safe and operable, but showing signs of deterioration consistent with end of life § Studies determined the preferred alternative is to replace the dam (vs rehab, removal or do-nothing) § New dam will be a concrete structure similar is size and flow capacity § Plan is to award contract Fall 2015, then construction during the summers of 2016 and 2017 OPG’s WEBSITE for Water Levels and Flows http://www.opg.com/generating-power/hydro/northwest-ontario/river-systems/Pages/kaministiquia-river.aspx Questions….. 37 .