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Press Release

 May 28,2013

Rehabilitation and additional structural support are being carried out on the Emmerson Dam in town this summer. The concrete dam was built in 1946 by W.O. Bailey & Sons. It replaced a series of previous earth and wood dams located on the same site when Haliburton was first settled in 1864.

W.O. Bailey ran a mill on the site until the late 1950's and constructed the current dam to create a mill pond.

There were concerns about what to do with an existing structure. The most economical choice was to simply remove the stop logs and tear the dam down. However, over the years the dam has provided aestehetics to the town and facilitated a waterfall for the protected walleye spawining bed below.

Planning for the upgrade started in 2004. A three year public safety review under the Ontario Dam Safety Guidelines was completed by Totten Sims Hubicki Associates from Whitby in 2008 and found the dam to be in the "low risk" category. Stability tests were carried out in 2010 by Geo-Logic Inc. from Peterborough. Engineering and design work were completed in 2012 by Genivar Inc. from Markham.

Galcon Marine Ltd. from Toronto, a firm specializing in dam and underwater repairs has been contracted to do the repairs, utilizing local labour where possible.

"The engineering of this project was designed to last for the long term and it contributes to the continued legacy of a beautiful tourist town" states owner Kim Emmerson.

The watercourse is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway and the flow originates 1.5km upstream at Drag Lake where another dam and power generating facilities are located.

The project is conducted under the supervision of the Ministry of Natural Resources (Provincial), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Federal) and Parks Canada (The Trent-Severn Waterway).

 Studies

and

Agreements

1987- Cuming-Cockburn & Associates

Pre-Feasibility Study

2001- The River and The Town

Interconnectedness and Environmental

2003- Prefeasibility Hydropower

Trent U- Sam Yeaman

2004-Community Response to Drag

River Hydro Development

2006-Possible Funding Incentives

Trent U- Ivan Ho

2008 Dam Safety Review- AECOM

2010-Geotechnical and Foundation Assessment

Geo-Logic Inc.

2012- Genivar- Refurbishment Engineering

under the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act

2013- Haliburton Solar and Wind

Consultation and Project Management Services

Started the project for generation

2014-  BluMetric Class EA Assessment-

See tab above

2014-Connection Impact Assessment

 Hydro One

2014- Earthworks

 Archaeological

Services Assessment

2014- Biological Assessment

Natural Resource Solutions Inc.

2014- Heritage Impact Assessment

2014- Aboriginal  Consultation

2015- Terrestrial Vibration Assessment

2015- Engineering for uplift

forces during a 100 year flood.

2016- Engineering Design Report

WSP

For Work Permit Application

2016- Distribution Connection Agreement

Hydro One

2016- Self Declaration Letter

Hydro One

2016- Confirmation of Verification

Evidence Report Agreement

Hydro One

2017- Electrical Safety Agreement

Hydro One

2019- NRSI Water Velocity

Testing and Analysis

2019 May- Final Approvals Completed

Work Permits

Dam Repair:

#2012-038 MNR

(expired December 31,2013)

Under the Lakes and Rivers

Improvement Act

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#12-HCAA-CA4-01951

File # regarding Fisheries Act

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

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Generation:

MNRF 

Work Permit Granted under the

Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act

#MIN-16-01

September 7,2016

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Ontario Ministry of Environment

Permit to take water 

Granted

2017

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Building Permit for Turbine House

Municipality of Dysart et al

#2016-268

September 21,2016

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program

File # 16-HCAA-01048

Approval May 7,2019

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