Lake Country, B.C. – The District of Lake Country is celebrating the completion of the Beaver Lake Intake Tower Replacement Project, a major investment in local water infrastructure.
Beaver Lake, also known as Swalwell Lake, is the largest local source of agricultural water and an important part of Lake Country's water system. The reservoir supplies water to approximately 1,500 homes and businesses, supports more than 800 hectares of farmland, and maintains critical environmental flows to Upper and Middle Vernon Creek.
The project replaced the aging intake tower and included upgrades to the Beaver Lake dam, restoring access to the District's licensed water storage and extending the life of this critical asset. A key component of the project was the removal of a rock obstruction that had previously prevented the District from accessing its full water storage capacity. This improvement restored access to approximately 2,000 megalitres of water storage, roughly equivalent to a full year of water use from Beaver Lake.
“This is an important milestone for our community,” said Mayor Blair Ireland. “It has been a long time coming but staff diligence has paid off. Water is our most valuable resource, and this project helps protect the infrastructure we depend on every day. By investing in Beaver Lake, we’re supporting local agriculture, providing firefighting capability and helping safeguard an important part of Lake Country's water system. This helps make Lake Country one of the most water supply resilient communities in the Okanagan.”
The total design and construction budget for the project was $9.025 million. The District secured more than $5.5 million in grant funding to support the work. This included $4.55 million through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund – Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation funding stream and $1 million through the Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program, delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. (IAF).
“Projects like the Beaver Lake Intake Tower Replacement Project help communities better prepare for drought, extreme weather and other climate-related challenges,” said Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “This important investment in Lake Country helps strengthen local water infrastructure that people, businesses and farm operators can rely on for years to come.”
Construction began in 2024 with the installation of a temporary cofferdam and water bypass system, followed by reconstruction of the dam and intake tower in 2025.
“The new intake tower and dam improvements modernize Beaver Lake’s water management system,” said Kiel Wilkie, Manager of Capital Projects. “This project puts Lake Country in a stronger position to respond to changing conditions throughout the year and helps support long-term water security.”
The District gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, which is administered by the Union of BC Municipalities, and through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s Agricultural Water Infrastructure Program.
Media contact
Zoe Callaghan
Communications Lead
[email protected]
250-766-5650