Walter Hardman Project

The Walter Hardman Project is located within the Columbia–Shuswap Regional District 25 kilometres south of Revelstoke, B.C. It’s part of our integrated generation system and produces approximately 37 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually, which is enough electricity to serve 3,700 homes for one year.

The Walter Hardman Project was originally built by the City of Revelstoke in 1961 and was purchased by BC Hydro in 1972. The original project included Coursier Lake Dam and Reservoir, which stored water during high inflow periods and released it during low inflow periods. In October 2003, Coursier Dam was decommissioned due to dam safety requirements.

The Walter Hardman Project now consists of the following: a concrete diversion dam; a diversion channel that takes water from Cranberry Creek to Walter Hardman headpond; flow control structures located in the diversion channel; upstream and downstream saddle dams; the Walter Hardman Dam; the spillway channel; the power intake; and the Walter Hardman Generating Station on the banks of Arrow Lakes Reservoir.

Engagement has concluded for the Walter Hardman Water Use Plan Order Review, and the Fisheries Act Authorization process has been ongoing since the fall of 2021. 

Through a simplified decision process with engagement from Indigenous Nations, stakeholders, and regulators, there’s been general alignment focusing on minimum flows to support habitat connectivity in Lower Cranberry Creek, which is a new aspect of a priority issue from the original water use planning process. More information is needed to understand the minimum flows needed to support habitat connectivity, and there’s interest in advancing a one-time study with related instrument installation.

Water Use Plans describe operating rules for BC Hydro that aim to better balance competing values and interests identified by the committees while still respecting legislative and other requirements. The provincial Comptroller of Water Rights reviewed and accepted the Plans under B.C.'s Water Act, now the Water Sustainability Act. The Plans were implemented through Orders from the Comptroller. 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada also issued Fisheries Act Authorizations (FAA) to BC Hydro for our generating facilities once the Water Use Plan Orders were in place. These FAAs were given expiry dates that are tied to the review of the Orders. The FAAs authorize impacts to fish and fish habitat related to our operations, provided our facilities are operated in accordance with the Orders. 

The Walter Hardman Water Use Plan Orders and FAAs have been in place for more than 20 years. 

The engagement feedback we received primarily focused on flows in Cranberry Creek, specifically the minimum discharge rate from the diversion channel and concerns that there’s not enough water during low flows to maintain habitat connectivity.

We’ll proceed with the Habitat Connectivity Study in the Lower Cranberry Creek which began in fall 2024. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the connected wetted area in Lower Cranberry Creek is being supported by current minimum flow operations or could be supported by modifications to operations at Walter Hardman. The study evaluates habitat at different flows in the section downstream of the diversion dam to the confluence with Arrow Lakes Reservoir. It aims to understand conditions in Lower Cranberry Creek and how they’re influenced by minimum flow releases from Walter Hardman.

The study will also consider the feasibility and effectiveness of installing monitoring equipment in Lower Cranberry Creek. This work is being done by Northwest Hydraulic Consultants and we expect that they’ll provide a final report which will help inform minimum flow releases and recommended amendments to the minimum flow clause in the Walter Hardman Order.

We’ve been working to validate Cranberry Creek flows using existing gauges and the new gauge installed in January 2023. This work has informed and supported the Habitat Connectivity Study and will also provide a better picture of the correlation between habitat connectivity in the creek and minimum flow operations at Walter Hardman. 

We monitor operations at the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week to manage water flows and forecasting. Reservoir management is controlled by our Operations Centre. Local facility maintenance and field surveillance are performed primarily by Stations Field Operations, Dam Safety, and Environmental Risk Management staff.