Ontario Power Generation

WHITE DOG FALLS STATION

PLANT GROUP: Northwest Plant Group
DRAINAGE BASIN: Hudson/James Bay
RIVER: Winnipeg

NEAREST POPULATION CENTRE: Kenora (48 KM (30 Miles) Southeast)

IN SERVICE DATE:

UNIT 1 - February 17, 1958
UNIT 2 - March 25, 1958
UNIT 3 - June 16, 1958

BUILT BY: Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario
Asset Transferred to Ontario Power Generation: April 1, 1999

NUMBER OF UNITS: 3
CONTROL: Remote from Thunder Bay

HISTORICAL NOTES:

Jean Baptiste de La Verendrye, eldest son of Sieur La Verendrye, who is regarded as the discoverer of the "Great Northwest" (now Western Canada), is said to have been the first white man to explore the Winnipeg River, about 1733. Around that time, young de La Verendrye established Fort Maurepas at the mouth of the river.

Geographically speaking, the river drains Lake-of-the-Woods and flows in a northwesterly direction into the south arm of Lake Winnipeg. To the head of its ultimate source, the Firesteel River, not far from the western shore of Lake Superior, the Winnipeg is 764 km (475 miles) long. Its principal tributary is the English River which enters from the east, near the Ontario-Manitoba boundary, after a course of 531 km (330 miles).

Draining an area of some 113 950 km2 (44,000 miles2) and dropping over rapids, falls and cascades for a distance of 257 km (160 miles), it seemed natural that the Winnipeg should become a source of power for the province.

Although the early explorers could not possibly have predicted such a function, the rapid waters of the Winnipeg evoked may awe-inspired comments in the narratives of their journeys along its torturous length.

One of the earliest descriptions of the a trip down the Winnipeg appears in a book by Alexander Henry the Elder "Travels and Adventures in Canada and the Indian Territories between 1760 and 1776. The author called the river "Winipegon" and describes his journey as follows: "From the Portage du Rat (site of the present Town of Kenora) we descended the great river Winipegon, which is there from one mile or two in breadth, and at every league (a British nautical league is equivalent to 4.8 km (3 miles) grows broader. The channel is deep but obstructed by many islands of which some are large. For several miles, the stream is confined between perpendicular rocks. The current is strong and the navigation singularly difficult, there are seven falls of from 15 to 30 m (50 to 100 ft) in height".

One of the first references to the feasibility of power development by Ontario on the Winnipeg River appears in a booklet, "Water Powers in Canada", published in 1915 and prepared by H.G. Acres, the Commission's Hydraulic Engineer at that time. Mentioning the possibility of developing power at Whitedog Falls, Mr. Acres stated: "The two principal sources of power for the district are the Winnipeg and English Rivers. In addition to a larger natural minimum flow, the hydraulic value of these rivers lies in the fact the extensive lake areas in their basins provide facilities for practically doubling the water flow.

Actual development of the hydroelectric resources of the river, within the boundaries of Ontario, moved a step closer in 1950 with the joint formation for a body known as the Winnipeg River Interprovincial Board by the Governments of Ontario and Manitoba. Comprising representatives of both provinces including Dr. Otto Holden, who became the Commission's Chief Engineer and E.M. Wood, at that time an a consulting engineer on system planning, the board was invested with the responsibility of conducting investigations and developing plans for the maximum economic development of the Winnipeg River watershed to the mutual advantage of both provinces.

And so, the Winnipeg, once the main artery of travel for the adventurous explorers and fur traders of the 18th century, moved gradually forward toward its ultimate goal as a great power producing stream.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Lake of the Woods levels and discharges are regulated by the Lake of the Woods Control Board (1919), made up of four members - one representing Canada, one from Manitoba and two from Ontario. A Board Engineer serves as secretary and provides liaison and computations.

To this Board is assigned the regulation within flooding or lower water limitations, to provide the best overall benefits to the various hydroelectric, navigation, logging and property-owner requirements.

The normal regulated range of the lake is 321.87 metres (1056 feet) to 323.47 metres (1061 feet) with an extreme high limit of 323.85 metres (1062.5 feet) (under original natural conditions, the lake level varied between 320.96 metres (1053 feet) and 323.47 metres (1061 feet) averaging about 322 metres (1056.5 feet)).

The normal water level of the Rideout - Darlington Bay reach is about 315.47 metres (1035 feet).

The maximum discharge capacity of the outlet works is about 1416 cms (50,000 cfs).

In 1950 an extensive channel improvement was excavated through a draw adjoining the Dalles constriction to alleviate extreme high flow levels at the Kenora tailwater reach.