My interest in human intervention in water began almost twenty years ago in Niagara, and manifested in works such Streaming Twelve. Today, I picked up a couple of friends and we drove out to Bark Lake where I had recently visited and was amazed to learn that it was in fact a reservoir controlled by a dam. Previously, I had visited it only in warm months and had perceived it as one of the multitude of lakes here, but on these latter occasions, the shoreline was a sharp, short rise about above a wide expanse of sandy “lake” bottom. I learned that this reservoir was “in” the Madawaska River. The dam marks about the middle of the river. You can monitor the water levels in almost real time on the OPG Bark Lake Control Dam webpage.
The Madawaska River is 230 kilometres long and drains an area of 8,740 square kilometres. From its beginning at the aptly named Source Lake in Algonquin Park, to where it joins the Ottawa River at Arnprior, the Madawaska River drops 224 metres. This sharp descent gave it the dangerous reputation it had in the past and even today it is one of the best white-water rivers in Eastern Ontario.1
The dam was first built in 1880 and since 1929 has been owned and operated by what is now Ontario Power Generation (OPG). I haven’t been able to find out much about the 1880 dam, but I’m guessing its first purpose was in support of log-driving, then flood control factored in. Today, Bark Lake’s function appears to be flood control and hydro power generation significantly tempered by recreation industry requirements for fishing and white water navigation.
Built for flood control, and peak power production its mandate now extends to a much broader scope, including white water recreation. Bark Lake is eastern Ontario’s second largest water reservoir and supplies the Madawaska River. In early spring, the water level in Bark Lake can be over 10 metres lower than summer levels, as its waters have been drawn down for power production through the cold winter months, on the 5 hydro-producing dams downstream. The spring freshet fills the lake back up in time for the May long weekend.2
Here and there you can still see the remains of trees flooded years ago.
We were astonished to discover that open water was way, way farther out than appeared since the layer of white was only paper-thin for many meters. (I am useless at estimating distance so won’t try.) The colour, texture and contour of the sand changed beneath our feet as did the sounds made by our footfalls.
A group of ducks were rambunctiously playing with one another in a way I’d never witnessed in ducks before. (Merlin let me down so I can’t identify them, only guess they could have been Buffleheads.) Bright sun reflecting on white ice gloriously warmed my face and hatless head. On the return, as we moved out of the crunch of the ice to only sand, the sudden silence was shocking.
https://www.greatermadawaska.com/en/play-and-discover/the-madawaska-river.aspx
https://www.mkc.ca/bark-lake-dam-and-the-madawaska-river-management-plan/
Thankyou for sending this,
Judy