Smallwood Reservoir
Encyclopedia
The Smallwood Reservoir is a large reservoir located in the western part of Labrador
in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada
. The reservoir is the source of the Churchill River
. Unlike other reservoirs, water is contained not by a single large dam
, but by a series of 88 dikes that total 64 km (39.8 mi) in length. It is named in honour of Joseph Roberts Smallwood
Created by damming the Churchill river, the Smallwood reservoir, with an area of 6527 km² (2,520.1 sq mi), is the largest body of freshwater in the province. It is at the head of the Churchill Falls
hydroelectric project and is the second-largest reservoir in the world.
(Alcan). Due to the remoteness of the site then, it was considered too expensive to build and deemed not viable.
With the development of technologies for transmission of electricity over long distances the project design to build the power development including the main dam and control structure and the many dykes began in July 1967 by Acres Canadian Bechtel of Churchill Falls, a joint venture formed by Canadian Bechtel and Acres Engineering, as part of the construction of the Churchill Falls Generating Station
.
The area was mostly drained by the Churchill River. At the edge of the plateau it dropped 66 m before the falls, a further 75 m at the falls and a further 158 m through the Bowdoin Canyon. It was called the Bowdoin Canyon for Bowdoin College
of Maine
which sponsored an expedition in 1891 to visit the falls.
s to prevent flooding.
The project took 9 years to complete from 1966 to 1974, with peak construction in 1970 when a total of 6,245 workers were stationed at the main camp and eleven satellite camps. The project was completed five months ahead of schedule.
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, 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...
. The reservoir is the source of the Churchill River
Churchill River (Atlantic)
The Churchill River is a river in Newfoundland and Labrador which flows east from the Smallwood Reservoir in Labrador into the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Melville. The river is long and drains an area of ; it is the longest river in the province...
. Unlike other reservoirs, water is contained not by a single large dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
, but by a series of 88 dikes that total 64 km (39.8 mi) in length. It is named in honour of Joseph Roberts Smallwood
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
Created by damming the Churchill river, the Smallwood reservoir, with an area of 6527 km² (2,520.1 sq mi), is the largest body of freshwater in the province. It is at the head of the Churchill Falls
Churchill Falls
Churchill Falls are waterfalls named after former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. They are high, located on the Churchill River in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada....
hydroelectric project and is the second-largest reservoir in the world.
History
The earliest evaluation of hydro potential of this vast reservoir was in 1942 when H.G. Acres Company carried out a study for the Aluminum Company of CanadaAlcan
Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. is a Canadian company based in Montreal. It was created on November 15, 2007 as the result of the merger between Rio Tinto PLC's Canadian subsidiary, Rio Tinto Canada Holding Inc., and Canadian company Alcan Inc. On the same date, Alcan Inc. was renamed Rio Tinto Alcan Inc..Rio...
(Alcan). Due to the remoteness of the site then, it was considered too expensive to build and deemed not viable.
With the development of technologies for transmission of electricity over long distances the project design to build the power development including the main dam and control structure and the many dykes began in July 1967 by Acres Canadian Bechtel of Churchill Falls, a joint venture formed by Canadian Bechtel and Acres Engineering, as part of the construction of the Churchill Falls Generating Station
Churchill Falls Generating Station
The Churchill Falls Generating Station is a hydroelectric power station located on the Churchill River in Newfoundland and Labrador. The underground power station can generate 5,428 MW, which makes it the second-largest in Canada, after the Robert-Bourassa generating station. The generating station...
.
Geography
The reservoir is built on the Labrador Plateau, a saucer shaped plateau that ranged from 457 m to 579 m above sea level. Before construction it was inundated with many bogs and small interconnected lakes. The three largest of these lakes were the Ossokmanuan, the Lobstick and the Michikamau. The Ossokmanuan became a reservoir for the Twin Falls power station.The area was mostly drained by the Churchill River. At the edge of the plateau it dropped 66 m before the falls, a further 75 m at the falls and a further 158 m through the Bowdoin Canyon. It was called the Bowdoin Canyon for Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
which sponsored an expedition in 1891 to visit the falls.
Construction
The reservoir requires 88 dykes to prevent overflow outside of the reservoir. The highest of these dykes is 36 m and the longest at 6 km. The two reservoirs require three control structures to regulate flow. The Gabbro Control Structure which regulated the Ossokmanuan reservoir, the Lobstick Control Structure that regulates the Smallwood reservoir and the Whitefish Control Structure for the forebay reservoirs. Both forebays are further regulated by spillwaySpillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
s to prevent flooding.
The project took 9 years to complete from 1966 to 1974, with peak construction in 1970 when a total of 6,245 workers were stationed at the main camp and eleven satellite camps. The project was completed five months ahead of schedule.