A new $6 million office facility for Gardiner Dam was officially opened on Friday in Cutbank.
Opened in 1967, Gardiner Dam is the fifth largest dam of its kind in the world, standing over 210 feet tall and five kilometres long.
Minister responsible for the Water Security Agency (WSA) Jeremy Cockrill said that Gardiner Dam and Lake Diefenbaker play a key role in the province.
“Gardiner Dam and Lake Diefenbaker are really the centrepiece of WSA operations in the province, “ Cockrill said.
“I mean 60 per cent of Saskatchewan's population gets their water from Lake Diefenbaker through Gardiner Dam. Gardiner Dam is key in terms of flood protection for the City of Saskatoon, power generation through SaskPower’s Coteau Creek facility.”
The facility includes significant upgrades for maintenance, training, monitoring and the operation of the Gardiner Dam.
There are 5,800 square feet of office space as well as 5,700 square feet for an indoor, heated, shop space.
“The office space is doubled from our previous building, which was an original building when Gardiner Dam was first built in the 1960s. But really, that shop facility is a really special part of what we've done here with this new office opening,” Cockrill said.
According to the provincial government, the WSA is a key player in Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan for the Next Decade of Growth (2020-2030) and its mandate to responsibly and sustainably manage water resources.