Additional embankment repairs at Wellesley Dam begin: GRCA
Posted May 20, 2025 01:37:29 PM.
Last Updated May 20, 2025 02:47:15 PM.
The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) says additional repairs at the Wellesley Dam are expected to begin Tuesday, May 20.
The organization says more embankment repairs are needed to address dam and public safety concerns following a significant wet weather event in April that led to high water levels and damage at the Wellesley Dam.
Acton’s R&M Construction has been hired to work on the embankment, and the latest repairs are expected to be complete in early June.
During the construction, the pedestrian path on the dam and adjacent embankment are closed with safety signage posted. An engineering assessment has also been carried out on the concrete spillway, and the GRCA is awaiting results to see if more repairs are needed.
Once all the repairs are done, the dam’s discharge gate will be restored and the Wellesley Pond will be re-filled.
“It is anticipated that the engineering design, condition assessment and construction required to return the pond to normal water levels may be greater than $100,000,” read a release from the GRCA. “A detailed report on the repairs will be provided to the GRCA board in June.”
Emergency repairs on the Wellesley Dam were conducted in early April and the situation was described by the GRCA as a dam emergency.
The GRCA said the discharge gate had to be left open to protect the integrity of the dam, which resulted in low water levels in the Wellesley Dam. Staff were deployed and relocated any stranded fish or impacted wildlife.
The GRCA also has plans to initiate a “future study” on the Wellesley Dam and is considering an additional study on the Baden Dam, which was also damaged because of extensive precitipitation earlier this spring.
“In both cases, the studies would consider the long-term future of these structures that is cost-effective and mitigates risk to the public, the dam structure and the environment,” wrote the GRCA. “Possible alternatives may include repair, modification or decommissioning of the dams.”
The GRCA said those studies would include consultations with municipalities, community members, and other interest holders.
