Coquitlam Lake
Encyclopedia
Coquitlam Lake is a reservoir located just north of Coquitlam, British Columbia
. It is one of the three main water sources for Metro Vancouver, and also a part of BC Hydro
's power generation system. A tunnel directs water from the lake to nearby Buntzen Lake
, and from there to a pair of power stations.
, which supplied electricity to Vancouver.
The first Coquitlam Dam
, built to raise the water level by 5 feet (1.52 m), was begun in April 1904 and completed in 1905. It was built to protect the water supply to the powerhouses, and also supplied water to New Westminster. By 1906 the original dam was discovered to be leaking, and while repairs were made the leak continued through 1908, until the current dam was completed in 1914.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It is one of the three main water sources for Metro Vancouver, and also a part of BC Hydro
BC Hydro
The BC Hydro and Power Authority is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia generally known simply as BC Hydro. It is the main electric distributor, serving 1.8 million customers in most areas, with the exception of the Kootenay region, where FortisBC, a subsidiary of Fortis...
's power generation system. A tunnel directs water from the lake to nearby Buntzen Lake
Buntzen Lake
Buntzen Lake is a 4.8 kilometres long lake in Anmore, British Columbia, Canada, in the Greater Vancouver area. It is named after the first general manager of the B.C. Electric Co., Johannes Buntzen...
, and from there to a pair of power stations.
History
Construction of the tunnel between Coquitlam Lake and Buntzen Lake began in 1902 and finished in 1905, supplying water to powerhouses on Indian ArmIndian Arm
Indian Arm is a steep-sided glacial fjord adjacent to the city of Vancouver in southwestern British Columbia. Formed during the last Ice Age, it extends due north from Burrard Inlet, between the communities of Belcarra and the District of North Vancouver , then on into mountainous wilderness...
, which supplied electricity to Vancouver.
The first Coquitlam Dam
Coquitlam Dam
The Coquitlam Dam is a hydraulic fill embankment dam on the Coquitlam River in the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia. It is part of BC Hydro's electrical generation infrastructure.-History:...
, built to raise the water level by 5 feet (1.52 m), was begun in April 1904 and completed in 1905. It was built to protect the water supply to the powerhouses, and also supplied water to New Westminster. By 1906 the original dam was discovered to be leaking, and while repairs were made the leak continued through 1908, until the current dam was completed in 1914.