W. A. C. Bennett Dam

The W. A. C. Bennett Dam is a large hydroelectric dam on the Peace River in northern British Columbia, Canada. At 183 m (660 ft) high, it is one of the world’s highest earth fill dams. Construction of the dam began in 1961 and culminated in 1968. At the dam, the Finlay, the Parsnip and the Peace Rivers feed into Williston Lake, also referred to as Williston Reservoir. It is the third largest artificial lake in North America (after the Smallwood Reservoir and Manicouagan) as well as the largest body of fresh water in British Columbia. Williston Lake runs 250 kilometers north-south and 150 kilometers east-west.

The construction of the dam cost $750 million, making it the largest project of its kind in the province of BC. The dam was named after the premier because his vision played a major role in the project initiation, development and realization; the reservoir was named after the premier’s trusted cabinet colleague Ray Williston. The Gordon M. Shrum Generation Station at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam has the capacity to generate more than 13 billion kWh annually. At the time of its construction the powerhouse was the largest of its kind worldwide. In addition to the benefits related to the energy generated, the construction of the dam and the reservoir also provided economic opportunities for the province of British Columbia, for the newly founded state owned electric utility BC Hydro, and for the large number of workers. These workers were involved in the planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of the project. Considerable costs were involved in the government funded project, the clearing of the area for the reservoir, called the Trench, alone cost $5 million dollars.

The building of the dam and the reservoir were not without its controversies. One such controversy was caused by the significant negative environmental effects the project had on the immediate environment. In the process of creating Williston Lake, 350,000 acres of forested land was flooded. This caused the loss of plant and wildlife biodiversity as well as the loss of minerals and timber rights.

A second controversy related to the fact that the land had been inhabited prior to its flooding, therefore the flooding resulted in the displacement of the residents located in the Trench. Among them were members of the Tsay Keh Dene First Nations, then known as Ingenika. The displacement had negative social impacts on the inhabitants as the loss of the land that had previously supported them meant loss of autonomy and resulted in isolation, alienation, and "social disorganization". A BC Hydro consultant admitted in 1977 that the ‘isolation imposed by the reservoir had severe impacts on Ingenika society and culture”.