Xeneca subscribes to the dam safety principles

of the Canadian Dam Association (CDA)

The CDA states that the dam owner shall:

Manage the public safety risks caused by a dam

as far upstream & downstream as the owner has
property rights

• Assess any specific locations beyond this property

where safety concerns (which are known by the
owner) may result directly from operation
• Inform the public & other affected property owners of
the identified hazards associated with the dam & its
operations
• Have a documented managed system for public safety
with a level of detail appropriate for the associated
public safety risks
• Assess & reduce risk caused by the presence &
operation of a dam, to the extent that is reasonable
for the intended function of the dam as well as the
priorities & values of stakeholders

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 Safety by Design

Our goal is to manage any safety concerns the

waterpower facility may present to the public by:

1. Eliminating the safety concerns whenever possible

2. Mitigating the safety concerns where practical
3. Putting in place adequate control measures where
practical & prudent, such as:
– Physical barriers (e.g. signage, booms, fences)
– Public education on the specific safety concerns
associated with the facilities
– Provide for emergency response

Public safety risks at the hydropower facility fall into two

categories:
1. Public interactions
2. Naturally-occurring & specific to the facility’s design &
operations

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 Public Interactions

Questions we must consider:

• Who are the current users of the site?
• What kind of activities take place?
• When are these activities occurring?

Key recreational stakeholders include:

Recreational users such as the paddling community,
anglers, hikers & swimmers who use reaches of the river
above & below Railroad Rapids.

Although the river is used in various capacities year-round,

primary recreational activities take place during the spring
& summer months.

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 Current Natural Public Safety Risks
at the Proposed Big Eddy at Railroad Rapids
Waterpower Generating Station

• Seasonal flow fluctuations

• Class III rapids
• Inclement weather
• Unstable shorelines (no natural barrier)
• Fast-flowing water

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 Design to Address Safety

Hydraulic analyses to be conducted to identify potential

safety risks & adjust designs of weir, intake & tailrace to
address these concerns with minimum restriction to
public access & activities.

Examples:
• Weir design that provides a shallow wave (as opposed
to deep hydraulic jump) to allow the passage of canoes,
kayaks, stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) & swimmers,
(as well as fish) under appropriate flow conditions
• Intake channel design for low flow velocity & with
intake gates operable in a manner to reduce flow
fluctuation in the river
• Tailrace design to reduce potential erosion & address
downstream fish habitats & spawning areas, while
having no measurable impact on Emerald Necklace Trail
& the Catwalk swimming area
• Facility operation plan design to meet safety
requirements as well as seasonal flow variations
• Run-of-river operation: flows downstream of the
project = natural flows

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 Additional Mitigation Measures

Residual safety risks will be evaluated during detailed

design & by a post-construction risk assessment. These
risks will be addressed by:

• Warning signs in appropriate areas

• Potential fencing around the powerhouse
• Potential booms & guards in vicinity of hydro intake
channel entrance
• Public communication & education
• Documentation of the facility’s public safety plan,
periodic review of the plan & adjustments as necessary

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 The Safety Process

• Xeneca will abide by the Ontario draft Dam Safety Plan

(Technical Guidelines and Requirements for Approval
Under The Lakes & Rivers Improvement Act-Volume 3
Public Safety Around Dams) & the Canadian Dam
Association’s Dam Safety Guidelines & Guidelines for
Public Safety around Dams
• All of Xeneca’s projects teams & contractors will adhere
to the standards set out by regulatory agencies as well
as Xeneca’s safety mandate
• Xeneca is working with independent, third party,
certified engineering firms on safety plans & will audit
our projects to ensure that they are built & operate
safely
• Xeneca seeks public input into all aspects of safety
around the proposed Big Eddy project at
Railroad Rapids

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