The dam is at the outflow of what was the upper and lower
Arrow Lakes; today the two lakes are joined forming one long
reservoir extending north to
Revelstoke Dam, and contains 8.76 km3 (7.1 MAF) of reservoir volume. The dam is operated by
BC Hydro. The long
earth fill and concrete dam was built as part of fulfilling Canada's obligations under the
Columbia River Treaty, along with the
Duncan Dam, both were built to prevent flooding and control the flow of water in the Columbia River for downstream hydroelectric dams. It was commissioned on October 10, 1968, six months ahead of schedule. The station is owned by the
Columbia Power Corporation. Lower Arrow Lake was raised 12 metres (40 feet) above the natural levels, resulting in several towns being dismantled and relocated before their sites were flooded, including
Burton.
Arrowhead, British Columbia is another ghost town, now submerged. The dam was named after
Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside, the Canadian ambassador to Mexico, 1944–1947. Hugh Keenleyside served as the chairman of the British Columbia Power Commission and co-chairman at the
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority from 1962 to 1969. The Arrow Lakes reservoir is described by BC Hydro as a "great waterway for boating", despite the effect that the difference between high and low water has on docks and ramps. The dam is equipped with a
navigation lock - the only such lock west of Manitoba - which is available at no charge to
boaters. However, commercial traffic and floating
logs have priority over leisure craft. ==See also==