The RM of Estevan, in partnership with the Water Security Agency (WSA), is making significant headway on a multi-million-dollar infrastructure project at Rafferty Dam. The upgrades, years in the making, aim to improve access, safety, and maintenance flexibility around the dam site.
When asked about the work underway, RM of Estevan Reeve Jason LeBlanc detailed the extensive improvements.
"They did a complete redo on the top. [It's] not pavement, but they built it up. In some places, it'll be built up 3 feet higher than it was. They put a crown on the road again so that the water won't sit in it, and any water that comes out of the dam when the wind's blowing hard will actually hit the road and run back into the dam. So it's designed to do that. There's no washboard on it as we speak; it's setting up fine. We're happy with it."
One of the most impactful developments now in progress is the construction of a service road at the bottom of the dam. This lower route will provide an alternate path for vehicles and heavy equipment when maintenance or upgrades are needed on the main road—helping avoid full closures in the future.
"We’re building a little sub road down on the bottom of the dam, so when they do work on that dam, now you have another access point to get around it," said RM Reeve Jason LeBlanc. "It should have been done years ago."
The new road running along the bottom of the dam is designed primarily for equipment access, although it will be open to all traffic.
"It's more to get equipment across than the general public, but it'll be open to anything. It's for heavy equipment that needs to get across there, and you can't get through Estevan because of streetlights. They need to get across, and we need to have a second access point, and that's what they're building."
LeBlanc stressed that while the project has been progressing smoothly, residents and visitors should remain mindful, especially during adverse weather. "It's a great idea and it's going to work good. It just takes time as everything's got procedure and steps."
The work is part of a broader effort that includes road stabilization across the top of the dam, which had become a recurring maintenance challenge.
Motorists are already using the main road again, though the RM urges caution after heavy rainfall. The surface, while stabilized, can still become muddy until it fully hardens. “If it rains, use your head and stay off it for a bit. It’ll dry up fast,” LeBlanc said, thanking the public and local anglers for their patience throughout the closures.
SaskPower Project Also Progressing
Just a few kilometres away, another major infrastructure project is unfolding: SaskPower’s new switching station. While the RM is not leading the project, it has granted the Crown corporation access to municipal roads for hauling and transport.
"They are under construction right now," said LeBlanc. "There are five phases, and phase one is nearly complete. You’re going to see another influx of gravel being hauled there in the next two to three weeks—roughly 1,000 loads—and then the welders and builders come in."
To protect local infrastructure, the RM established a policy that ensures SaskPower will cover all repair costs related to road use.
"Our council put in a policy that the RM shouldn’t be responsible for one nickel of that project," LeBlanc emphasized. "SaskPower has agreed to handle any road maintenance or construction costs if there’s damage."
With both the Rafferty Dam upgrades and the SaskPower station advancing steadily, the RM of Estevan is optimistic about the long-term value of these projects—for residents, regional operations, and future development.