Wednesday, September 2, 2026
St. Mary River Irrigation District announced that construction is underway on Phase 1 (Chin West Dam Rehabilitation) of the Chin Reservoir Expansion Project, with a groundbreaking ceremony, and the awarding a contract for Phase 1 to Greenfield Construction.
The Chin Reservoir is SMRID’s largest reservoir, with a current storage capacity of 154,000 acre-feet. Originally constructed in 1955, the Chin West Dam requires significant upgrades to bring it up to modern dam safety and design standards and to prepare the structure for the future expansion of the reservoir (phase 2). Phase 1, the Chin West Dam Rehabilitation, includes raising and rehabilitating the West Dam to accommodate the future water level rise and the complete replacement of the existing irrigation outlet structure.
“The Chin West Dam Rehabilitation (Phase 1) is the most significant project the SMRID has undertaken in decades, in terms of scope, engineering, and impact on the region. It is the first phase toward the larger Chin Reservoir Expansion. Chin is the largest reservoir in the SMRID’s network, and the rehabilitation of the West Dam will ensure security and reliable water delivery to upstream and downstream users for the next 100+ years,” said David Westwood, St. Mary River Irrigation District General Manager.
The existing irrigation outlet structure is nearing the end of its design life and poses limitations during periods of high irrigation demand combined with low reservoir levels. Rehabilitation is not considered feasible, making complete replacement necessary. A new, modern low-level irrigation outlet structure will be constructed in the south abutment of the West Dam. Built to modern design standards, the reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure will include modern sluice gates capable of remotely regulating flows to the downstream Stafford Reservoir and SMRID’s main canal.
“The Chin West Dam Rehabilitation is a major infrastructure rehabilitation project for the St. Mary River Irrigation District, and MPE is proud to lead the engineering design and construction management for this important initiative. The project includes replacement of the aging irrigation outlet structure between Chin Reservoir and Stafford Reservoir, along with stabilization and raising of the existing dam to support future reservoir expansion. Delivered over multiple construction seasons, the work will generate local employment and deliver meaningful economic benefits to communities in the region. By strengthening this critical infrastructure, the project will support the reliable delivery of irrigation water to Southern Alberta’s agricultural producers and enhance long-term water security across the region,” said Jeff Olitch, vice president of Water Resources at MPE Engineering Ltd.
Phase 1 is the first step toward the larger Chin Reservoir Expansion. Phase 2 will commence once all required regulatory approvals have been granted and will involve relocating the East Dam approximately 10 kilometres east and raising the reservoir water level by 2.6 metres. Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the expansion will add approximately 103,500 acre-feet of additional storage capacity to the Chin Reservoir.
The Chin Reservoir is formed by the impoundment of water between the Chin West and Chin East dams, spaced ~25 km apart within the Chin Coulee Glacial meltwater channel. This off-stream reservoir is supplied by the SMRID main canal which conveys diverted water from the headworks reservoirs owned and operated by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation.
The Chin Expansion Project is funded through the Government of Alberta’s AIM Program. The Raymond Irrigation District (RID) is a 10 per cent contributing partner in this project. Under the AIM program, the SMRID secured 30 per cent grant funding from the Government of Alberta; 20 per cent of the project will be covered up-front by SMRID/RID reserves, and the remaining 50 per cent is funded by the District through a loan through the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB).
Featured image: (SMRID)
