Established in 1968 for the Preservation of Williams Lake
Build Nova Scotia has issued the following public service announcement regarding preliminary assessment work that will be taking place in the area of the dam. Equipment necessary for this work will be accessing the area by the Shaw Wilderness Park trail beginning this month.
We thought you might be interested in seeing how the current level of Williams Lake compares to the level at this time in the previous 5 summers. You won’t be surprised that this is the highest level ever recorded in August (years 2002-2023).
The WLCC and partner organization Williams Lake Dam Association (WLDA) have been meeting with various government departments for almost 2 years advocating for a fix for the Williams Lake dam. Recently, Minister of Public Works Kim Masland asked Nova Scotia Lands Inc., a crown corporation, to meet with the two groups for a preliminary discussion on the current state of the Williams Lake dam and the safety issues with the dramatic fluctuation in lake levels. (photo: Cathy Vaughan)
Public Works Minister Kim Masland asked NS Lands Inc., a provincial Crown Corporation, to meet with the Williams Lake Conservation Company (WLCC) and partner organization Williams Lake Dam Association (WLDA) to discuss issues about the deteriorating Williams Lake dam. According to their website, Nova Scotia Lands Inc. “continues to work with other departments and agencies to develop safety plans for dams and water control structures to mitigate against risks from severe weather events, such as flooding or breaches.”
After many years of wondering when, and how, the crumbling dam on Williams Lake would be fixed, a new solution to the problem has been proposed. Hydrologists have completed a detailed study of the lake, and the land that underlays it, including the surrounding watershed. Their full report has more than a few surprises.