NORTH FRONTENAC, ONT. — Work to rebuild the Kashwakamak dam to mitigate the risk of its failure and associated flooding as well as safeguard Kashwakamak Lake and surrounding land recently received a joint investment of nearly $6 million.
The federal government is investing $2.26 million in the project through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority is contributing $3.7 million.
Home to about 50,000 people, the Mississippi River watershed is a 3,750-square-kilometre area that supplies fresh drinking water and supports fish and wildlife, alongside recreation and tourism, agriculture and hydroelectric power.
The new dam on Kashwakamak Lake in the Mississippi River watershed will replace the original, built in 1910, states a release. It is expected to protect the land from floods and droughts and reduce the economic losses and disruptions to the community.
The project is especially timely now that the Mississippi River watershed experiences more frequent and severe extreme weather events due to the impacts of climate change, adds the release.
“The new dam will be resilient to climate change, enhance our water management program and provide much needed flood and drought protection to the local communities, residents, businesses and environment over the course of its service life,” said Juraj Cunderlik, director of engineering with the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority in a statement.
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