The Aeneas (Charlie) Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project – Case Study for a Sustainable Redevelopment on First Nation Land in British Columbia, Canada.

November 19, 2024

This paper describes a successful team collaboration to rehabilitate a 100-year-old irrigation dam, which had been inoperable for more than a decade. The Dam will provide water for irrigation and help in the economic prosperity of the region while restoring socio-environmental and cultural values. The Aeneas Lake Dam (also known as the “Charlie Dam”) is located on pristine land in the Okanagan Valley and is partly owned and operated by the Penticton Indian Band (PIB). The existing earthfill dam built in 1907 was under a drawdown order due to excessive leakage and risk of liquefaction. During this period, the downstream licensees could not access water for irrigation, and the traditional cultural practices of the First Nations people were greatly impacted. Throughout the course of the project, numerous opportunities for temporary and long-term employment were offered to the PIB members and related interested parties. The funding agency, Aboriginal Affairs Northern Development Canada (AANDC), accelerated the funding to save costs, thus enabling the project to be completed in one year instead of the two originally scheduled. Excellent communication within the project team, including the contractor, allowed for the dam to be built in one season instead of two. The completion of this small dam presented many technical challenges and required design adjustments due to unforeseen site conditions.

Bagnérès, B., A. Suppiah, J. Phillip, J-C. Carvajal, A. Muir, and A. Port. 2015. “The Aeneas (Charlie) Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project – Case Study for a Sustainable Redevelopment on First Nation Land in British Columbia, Canada,” in Proceedings of the CDA 2015 Annual Conference, 5-8 Oct 2015. Mississauga, ON, Canada.