Short Term Pain for Long Term Gain
By: Cathy Vaughan
[Reprinted with permission from Chebucto News, August 2025]
Build Nova Scotia presented information on their project to replace the 255-year-old leaky dam at the Williams Lake Conservation Company’s (WLCC) annual general meeting in June. Build NS Vice President, Strategic Infrastructure & Development, Jonathan Veale introduced their plan by saying, “We really do care about this project and want to take the time to get it right. We contacted the right people in the community, and we are moving forward together to work through the problems and get it right. I am here because of you. So, thank you!”
Details were outlined of Build NS’s tentative timetable for the demolition and construction, government departments involved in the project, and industry standard permits required to adhere to current environmental regulations while maintaining public safety throughout the project.
“This is our number one project for us. It is a challenging site. Permits for working in the water are more difficult in a lake or in a river than on land. We are engaging with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, government departments and indigenous groups who are all very supportive of this project and we are hoping to be in the water soon,” Mr. Veale said.
There are challenges to working in a short window of time. Construction in the lake will require regulatory approvals from Nova Scotia Department of Environment & Climate Change, Fisheries and Oceans Canada as well as Transport Canada. The timeframe for working in the lake is seasonally limited and scheduling will depend on the timing of the approvals. A temporary “cofferdam” will also need to be installed in the lake in front of the old dam. This watertight barrier creates a dry working area for construction crews and machinery to operate.
Further clearing of the construction site and enhancing the path from the car park to the site may require the removal of additional trees for the heavy equipment needed for the project. This expansion will require temporary closures of the path. Build NS and WLCC will post closures on their websites to ensure public safety. Check before you go for a hike in the Shaw Wilderness Park. [Ed. Note: As of August 5 hiking trails in wooded areas are closed in Nova Scotia due to wildfire risk]
The good news is the replacement dam will hold lake levels to current spring heights. But human-caused climate crisis – warmer temperatures, less rain and snow, coupled with regular evaporation – will continue to act on lake levels and water quality though not as dramatically as in the past. The west end of the lake was mudflats in 2020.
“The future dam will not have a severe leak and will hold water at or around the spring high water levels. The daily and seasonal water levels will vary based on precipitation and evaporation,” Mr. Veale said. The expected elevation of water in the lake is 17.95 meters, subject to seasonal conditions and could fluctuate 2.5 to five centimetres.
Folks at the meeting asked about the impact of the new dam on Cunard Pond on Williams Lake. This popular recreational area and well-used beach has been closed for several summers over the past years because of the presence of blue-green algae due to the low lake levels in the main lake.
Three culverts under the Wyndrock causeway flush water from the main lake into and out of the pond. The replacement dam should keep the culverts flushing successfully as the lake level stays above the culverts. The new dam will also have a regulation fish ladder that gives migrating fish the ability to reach the lake waters and access spawning areas in the lake.
The restoration and replanting of the construction site plus installation of fencing around the dam for public safety will be the final phase of the project. Build NS has already mapped the area to identify the various trees, native plants and wild shrubs to replant the area to bring it back to its natural state as closely as possible. They predict the area will fill in with greenery and undergrowth reasonably quickly.
Public safety is a priority at the construction site and notices of closures of the path in the Shaw Wilderness Park will be published on Build NS website as well as the WLCC’s social media. Build NS also has a section on their website for your questions.
So it may not look very pretty at the dam just now, but as Jonathan Veale said during his presentation “it’s short term pain, for the long term gain.”