Island Falls, Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
Island Falls is a hydroelectric power station
operated by SaskPower
, a Saskatchewan
crown corporation. It is located on the Churchill River
at 55.5° N, 102.4° W, about sixty miles (100 km) northwest of Flin Flon
, Manitoba
, Canada
.
Island Falls was the first hydroelectric power plant in Saskatchewan
. It was built between 1928 and 1930 by the Churchill River Power Company, a subsidiary of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting, to provide electricity for the HBM&S mining operations at Flin Flon
and Cold Lake, Manitoba.
The drainage area above the power site covers much of northwest Saskatchewan, about 80000 square miles (207,199 km²). The drainage basin contains several large lake
s providing natural reservoirs, the main one being Reindeer Lake
(2,300 sq.mi.).
As part of the consolidation of generation sources in the province, SaskPower
purchased the plant from HBM&S in 1981, which continued to operate it for several years. Since 1985 the plant is entirely owned and operated by SaskPower.
. In summer, forty-three miles of road were built between a series of six lakes, and scows installed on those lakes. Heavy hauling had to take place during a two-month period in late winter when the lake ice was thick enough. Construction material was carried a distance of 72 miles (115 km) by trains of up to six sleighs hauled by 100 hp. Linn tractors. The average load was about 77 tons per train, while the total freight carried over two winters was 35,000 tons. At that time, it was considered to be the most ambitious winter hauling enterprise ever undertaken in Canada.
Power for construction was supplied by two small turbines at a temporary hydro-electric plant at Spruce Falls
, 14 miles (22 km) down river (east), where Kipahigan (Barrier) Lake drains into the Churchill River
.
The Island Falls power dam spanned the main river channel at Big Eddy Falls, where there was a drop of 56 feet (17.1 m). In addition, a number of earthen dams were built along the margin of the head pond (fore bay) to prevent overflow. About one mile (1.6 km) south, a 900-foot (275 m) concrete spillway dam known as “A-dam” was built across a low area on dry land later to be flooded. The fore bay was filled during July 1930, completely submerging the three low falls from which Island Falls gets its name. In August 1930, A-dam was opened and the massive flood of escaping water flushed out a second channel, thus creating an island. The stretch of river affected by the Island Falls development extends from Big Eddy Falls, where the power plant is located, to Mussena Rapids, a distance of approximately thirteen miles (20 km).
, and three large turbine
units each rated at 14000 hp. under a 56 feet (17.1 m) head at 163.6 rpm. These vertical generators put out 6,600 volts, which was stepped up to 110,000 volts for transmission over 58 miles (93.3 km) of line to Flin Flon
and the 45 miles (72.4 km) branch line to the Sherritt-Gordon Mine at Cold Lake. The first transmission of electricity to Flin Flon took place in June 1930. In following years, additional 19000 hp. units were added: Unit 4 in 1936, Unit 5 in 1938, Unit 6 in 1947, and Unit 7 in 1959. The total output of the power plant is now well over 100000 hp.
The original buildings dating from 1929 were made from locally sawn spruce and pine trees. They were distinctively clad with vertical, bark-covered slabs on the walls, roofed with black tarpaper, insulated with sawdust, fully plumbed, and electrically heated. During the 1940’s, the old dwellings were replaced by second-generation houses. These fully modern houses, including utilities, were provided free to employees.
Winters being long and cold, the community had facilities necessary for self-sufficiency, including a two-room school, gymnasium, cinema, curling rink, and hockey arena. A “Community Club” was generously supported by the company, so residents were regularly treated to movies and social gatherings. Special days such as Christmas
and Dominion Day
(July 1) were important celebrations. Summers days were warm and long. Most people spent considerable time out-of-doors and made good use of the community boathouse. Many families had summer cottages along the river, some of which are still in use.
, while fresh food was flown in by airplane. The Community had always been serviced by air, but ‘freeze-up’ of the river in the fall and ‘break-up’ of the ice in spring prevented aircraft from landing for weeks at a time. Surface transportation was essential, therefore the original route from the construction period was maintained. This route consisted of a series of lakes on which canoes and larger boats were moored. On the portages between the lakes, old vehicles were stationed. Passengers and freight could move to or from Flin Flon
in about a day. The “lakes and portages” route continued to be used regularly into the 1950’s.
Linn tractor trains continued to be used for transporting heavy supplies in winter over the frozen lakes, but in the 1940’s much faster Bombardier snowmobiles began to carry mail and passengers. By the 1950’s, many families had purchased older-style automobiles and were able to travel independently to Flin Flon
for visiting, shopping and recreation. In 1967, a permanent road to Flin Flon
via Pelican Narrows
and the Hansen Lake Road was completed. Ironically, the community of Island Falls closed down that year.
, CRP Co. employees and their families were moved to jobs in Flin Flon or into retirement. Thereafter, plant operators drove to Island Falls to work their shifts and were accommodated in a staff house.
The company houses and other buildings such as the community hall remained vacant until the power plant was taken over by SaskPower
in 1981. By 1988, all the buildings had been removed or demolished. Except for the two-storey commissary, which now serves as a staff house, all that remains of the settlement of Island Falls are the sidewalks leading to the places where houses once stood.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
operated by SaskPower
SaskPower
Since 1929, SaskPower has been the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, Canada. Today, it serves more than 473,000 customers and manages $5.3 billion in assets...
, a Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
crown corporation. It is located on the Churchill River
Churchill River (Hudson Bay)
The Churchill River is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691...
at 55.5° N, 102.4° W, about sixty miles (100 km) northwest of Flin Flon
Flin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. It was built between 1928 and 1930 by the Churchill River Power Company, a subsidiary of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting, to provide electricity for the HBM&S mining operations at Flin Flon
Flin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
and Cold Lake, Manitoba.
The drainage area above the power site covers much of northwest Saskatchewan, about 80000 square miles (207,199 km²). The drainage basin contains several large lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s providing natural reservoirs, the main one being Reindeer Lake
Reindeer Lake
Reindeer Lake is a lake in Western Canada located on the border between northeastern Saskatchewan and northwestern Manitoba, with the majority in Saskatchewan. The name of the lake appears to be a translation of the Algonquian name...
(2,300 sq.mi.).
As part of the consolidation of generation sources in the province, SaskPower
SaskPower
Since 1929, SaskPower has been the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, Canada. Today, it serves more than 473,000 customers and manages $5.3 billion in assets...
purchased the plant from HBM&S in 1981, which continued to operate it for several years. Since 1985 the plant is entirely owned and operated by SaskPower.
Construction
The construction of the power plant was difficult, as transportation routes did not exist north of the railhead in Flin FlonFlin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
. In summer, forty-three miles of road were built between a series of six lakes, and scows installed on those lakes. Heavy hauling had to take place during a two-month period in late winter when the lake ice was thick enough. Construction material was carried a distance of 72 miles (115 km) by trains of up to six sleighs hauled by 100 hp. Linn tractors. The average load was about 77 tons per train, while the total freight carried over two winters was 35,000 tons. At that time, it was considered to be the most ambitious winter hauling enterprise ever undertaken in Canada.
Power for construction was supplied by two small turbines at a temporary hydro-electric plant at Spruce Falls
Spruce Falls, Saskatchewan
Spruce Falls was the local name for a small waterfall where the Swan River empties into Duck Lake in northeastern Saskatchewan, near the Manitoba boundary. It is located at 55°37′ N and 102°7′ W....
, 14 miles (22 km) down river (east), where Kipahigan (Barrier) Lake drains into the Churchill River
Churchill River (Hudson Bay)
The Churchill River is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691...
.
The Island Falls power dam spanned the main river channel at Big Eddy Falls, where there was a drop of 56 feet (17.1 m). In addition, a number of earthen dams were built along the margin of the head pond (fore bay) to prevent overflow. About one mile (1.6 km) south, a 900-foot (275 m) concrete spillway dam known as “A-dam” was built across a low area on dry land later to be flooded. The fore bay was filled during July 1930, completely submerging the three low falls from which Island Falls gets its name. In August 1930, A-dam was opened and the massive flood of escaping water flushed out a second channel, thus creating an island. The stretch of river affected by the Island Falls development extends from Big Eddy Falls, where the power plant is located, to Mussena Rapids, a distance of approximately thirteen miles (20 km).
The power plant
Initially, the power plant held the two 1250 hp. units brought up from Spruce FallsSpruce Falls, Saskatchewan
Spruce Falls was the local name for a small waterfall where the Swan River empties into Duck Lake in northeastern Saskatchewan, near the Manitoba boundary. It is located at 55°37′ N and 102°7′ W....
, and three large turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
units each rated at 14000 hp. under a 56 feet (17.1 m) head at 163.6 rpm. These vertical generators put out 6,600 volts, which was stepped up to 110,000 volts for transmission over 58 miles (93.3 km) of line to Flin Flon
Flin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
and the 45 miles (72.4 km) branch line to the Sherritt-Gordon Mine at Cold Lake. The first transmission of electricity to Flin Flon took place in June 1930. In following years, additional 19000 hp. units were added: Unit 4 in 1936, Unit 5 in 1938, Unit 6 in 1947, and Unit 7 in 1959. The total output of the power plant is now well over 100000 hp.
The settlement of Island Falls
From 1929 to 1967, Island Falls was also the name of the small, remote settlement of about two hundred people located on the island near the power plant. Called “The Camp” by its residents, it was home to the families of operators, electricians, machinists, administrators, labourers, and men of many other skills employed by the Churchill River Power Company.The original buildings dating from 1929 were made from locally sawn spruce and pine trees. They were distinctively clad with vertical, bark-covered slabs on the walls, roofed with black tarpaper, insulated with sawdust, fully plumbed, and electrically heated. During the 1940’s, the old dwellings were replaced by second-generation houses. These fully modern houses, including utilities, were provided free to employees.
Winters being long and cold, the community had facilities necessary for self-sufficiency, including a two-room school, gymnasium, cinema, curling rink, and hockey arena. A “Community Club” was generously supported by the company, so residents were regularly treated to movies and social gatherings. Special days such as Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Dominion Day
Dominion Day
Dominion Day is a commemoration day of the granting of national status in various Commonwealth countries.-Canada:Dominion Day was the name of the holiday commemorating the formation of Canada as a Dominion on 1 July 1867...
(July 1) were important celebrations. Summers days were warm and long. Most people spent considerable time out-of-doors and made good use of the community boathouse. Many families had summer cottages along the river, some of which are still in use.
Transportation
Provisions such as canned and frozen foods were available at a company commissaryCommissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
, while fresh food was flown in by airplane. The Community had always been serviced by air, but ‘freeze-up’ of the river in the fall and ‘break-up’ of the ice in spring prevented aircraft from landing for weeks at a time. Surface transportation was essential, therefore the original route from the construction period was maintained. This route consisted of a series of lakes on which canoes and larger boats were moored. On the portages between the lakes, old vehicles were stationed. Passengers and freight could move to or from Flin Flon
Flin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
in about a day. The “lakes and portages” route continued to be used regularly into the 1950’s.
Linn tractor trains continued to be used for transporting heavy supplies in winter over the frozen lakes, but in the 1940’s much faster Bombardier snowmobiles began to carry mail and passengers. By the 1950’s, many families had purchased older-style automobiles and were able to travel independently to Flin Flon
Flin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
for visiting, shopping and recreation. In 1967, a permanent road to Flin Flon
Flin Flon
Flin Flon is a Canadian mining city located on the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the majority of the city located within Manitoba.- Founding :...
via Pelican Narrows
Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan
Pelican Narrows is a northern village in Saskatchewan, located 120 km NW of Creighton via the Hanson Lake Road and highway 135. Its name in Cree is Opawikoscikcan which means "The Narrows of Fear". It is at the narrows that join Mirond and Pelican Lakes which lie between the Sturgeon-Weir and...
and the Hansen Lake Road was completed. Ironically, the community of Island Falls closed down that year.
The closing of the Settlement
By 1967, when technology permitted the power plant to be run by remote control, HBM&S management decided it was no longer feasible to support the settlement near the power plant. As a result of automationAutomation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
, CRP Co. employees and their families were moved to jobs in Flin Flon or into retirement. Thereafter, plant operators drove to Island Falls to work their shifts and were accommodated in a staff house.
The company houses and other buildings such as the community hall remained vacant until the power plant was taken over by SaskPower
SaskPower
Since 1929, SaskPower has been the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, Canada. Today, it serves more than 473,000 customers and manages $5.3 billion in assets...
in 1981. By 1988, all the buildings had been removed or demolished. Except for the two-storey commissary, which now serves as a staff house, all that remains of the settlement of Island Falls are the sidewalks leading to the places where houses once stood.