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The Government of Saskatchewan says it has made “significant progress” on a $12-million project to upgrade the Buffalo Pound Dam.
The water from Buffalo Pound Lake supplies about a quarter of the province’s population, including Regina and Moose Jaw, while also providing water for irrigation, two potash mines and industrial facilities.
On Thursday, the province said major rehabilitation work on the dam has been completed, while improvements to other important pieces of the dam’s infrastructure are underway.
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“Buffalo Pound Dam plays a vital role in supporting communities, industry and agriculture,” Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said in a statement.
“This project will help ensure the dam continues to operate safely and reliably for years to come.”
The upgrades include restoring the dam’s spillway to its original height and strengthening the area below the dam with protective rock in order to improve the facility’s ability to manage high water levels while also reducing erosion when flooding occurs.
Another project, which the province said is nearly complete, includes replacing aging mechanical, electrical and concrete infrastructure. Upgrades include a new control building, new operating equipment, backup power generation, a safety boom system, and improvements to water control and the fish passage system.
Elsewhere on the dam, workers are stabilizing sections and completing repairs to help ensure the structure’s long-term safety and integrity. Crews have already completed repairs to bridge joints and concrete on the bridge deck, and the surface has been repaved.
New monitoring equipment is also being installed in order to better track water flows and assess the dam’s performance and condition.
“Water security is fundamental to the economic strength and future growth of our city,” Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock said in a statement.
“The upgrades at Buffalo Pound Dam will help provide the reliable water supply our businesses, industries and residents depend on, while supporting continued investment, job creation and economic growth across the region.”
The provincial government said it has spent nearly $40 million on more than 60 water infrastructure projects across Saskatchewan during the 2026-27 fiscal year.
In addition to the upgrades at the Buffalo Pound Dam, the province said it expects to begin construction this month on repairs and upgrades in the Upper Qu’Appelle River channel in between the Qu’Appelle River and Tugaske Bridge, with the goal of improving water flow between Lake Diefenbaker and Buffalo Pound Lake while also reducing erosion along the riverbank.
