Slave Falls generating station

Anchoring project

An anchoring project started in mid-September 2021 as the next step in addressing some of the concrete deterioration issues in the sluiceway while we continue to develop our longer-term work plan for the station. This work will help maintain the integrity of the dam and preserve the safety of surrounding waterways and the people who use them.

We will be drilling through the concrete sluiceway piers to install steel anchors between the top of the pier and bedrock below. Aside from an increase in traffic and some construction noise in the area, impacts are expected to be minimal. Water levels are not expected to change during the project and no local power outages are planned. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of June 2023.

Update on work plan for concrete structures

Slave Falls generating station has served Manitoba with renewable, reliable hydroelectricity for over 90 years thanks to a long history of proactive maintenance.

We are planning new work to address deteriorating concrete in some of the dam’s structures.

Nearly a century of water flow, ice, and freezing and thawing has worn on the dam’s concrete over time. In 2018, the concrete in one of the station’s sluiceway piers was found to be in poor condition. Over the 2018–19 winter season, we lowered the water level by 1 metre (3 feet) to allow for the necessary repairs.

In 2020, we continued our assessment of the concrete structures at Slave Falls. We are now taking time to develop a work plan based on those results, while also considering potential safety, environmental, social, and economic impacts under different scenarios.

Update: We have made progress in narrowing down our work plan options for Slave Falls in the past year. As we continue to evaluate these alternatives, we do not expect to lower water levels in 2023. An update on our work plan will be shared in spring 2023.

Future work plan may require lowered water levels for extended period

Any long-term plan for Slave Falls will require work over multiple years and may involve a 1 to 2 metre (about 3 to 6 feet) drop in water level between the Slave Falls and Pointe du Bois generating stations. While any reduction in water level will be temporary, it may need to continue for an extended period to accommodate the work.

If the water level needs to be lowered, the water upstream of Pointe du Bois (including Lake of the Woods) will not be affected and the water level downstream of Slave Falls will not change in any noticeable way.

Public & Indigenous feedback

We understand any decision made with respect to Slave Falls – including potential lowering of water levels – will affect local residents, Indigenous resource users, recreational waterway users, and visitors to Whiteshell Provincial Park.

In 2020, we informed anyone who might be affected by the planned or potential work at Slave Falls. We also invited those who live along or use the waterway to provide feedback through an online survey on the potential effects of any work involving lowered water levels, so we could better understand the impacts.

This input is informing our work plan and helping us find ways to avoid or limit impacts where possible.

Plans for new work on concrete structures (PDF, 67 KB);
Read our engagement summary: potential for lower water levels (PDF, 206 KB).

Contact us

For more information about upcoming work at Slave Falls, contact:

Email Waterway Community Engagement.
Phone 204-360-4235 in Winnipeg.