October 03, 2009
Mcgregor Reservoir Rehabilitation Project
Abstract:
The Carseland-Bow River Headworks (CBRH) is a major multi-purpose water delivery system, located in southern Alberta, that supplies water from the Bow River to 87 000 ha of agricultural land and numerous municipalities . The system was originally constructed starting in 1909 by the Southern Alberta Land Company. Major upgrades were carried out in the 1950's by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration and between 2004 and 2009 by Alberta Transportation. The CBRH system is comprised of three major reservoirs, including the McGregor, Travers and Little Bow reservoir s, and associated infrastructure including 65 km of main canals, 6 km of interconnecting canals, and numerous water control structures. McGregor Reservoir is the largest of the three reservoirs, and has a surface area of 5300 ha and a live storage of 365 800 darn' at its full supply level. The rehabilitation project included raising the McGregor north and south dams and incorporating an auxiliary spillway to accommodate the Probable Maximum Flood, replacing the irrigation outlet structure at the south dam, providing a new McGregor inlet structure and Travers inlet structure, and upgrading sections of the CBRH main canal and connecting canal. This paper discusses the rehabilitation of the McGregor Reservoir components and a number of unique challenges that had to be overcome, particularly since the reservoir and canal operations had to be maintained throughout the five-year construction period.
Thomas K. Murray, P. Eng., Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd ., Calgary, Alberta , Canada David L. Mack, P. Eng., Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Brian M. Soutar, P. Eng., Alberta Infrastructure, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Syed Abbas, P. Eng., Alberta Transportation, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada