Sediment build up does not impact the safety of BC Hydro dams in the Columbia Basin – Mica, Revelstoke and Hugh L. Keenleyside. On the Columbia River, the rate of sediment transport is very low because of the large volume of the river flows and the reservoirs. The rate of sediment build-up is insignificant.
The Mica, Revelstoke and Hugh L. Keenleyside dams have been operating since 1973, 1984 and 1968 respectively and will continue to operate safely for many years to come. Maintaining the safety and integrity of our facilities is a top priority for BC Hydro. We have a rigorous dam safety program that includes weekly site inspections by trained inspectors, semi-annual inspections by a dam safety engineer and inspections by an independent dam safety consulting engineer every five to 10 years.
BC Hydro is committed to investing in our electrical system to provide safe, reliable power to our customers. Thank you for the opportunity to address these important issues. If your readers have any further questions or concerns, they can contact me directly at 250-365-4565 or by email at maryanne.coules@bchydro.com.
Mary Anne Coules
BC Hydro