Skaha Lake Dam

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This concrete control dam was built in the mid-1960s as part of the Okanagan Flood Control Works to help control water surges that played havoc with the Okanagan River irrigation systems further south. Drowned beneath the dam are the historic Okanagan Falls that gave the community its name.

Skaha Lake dam was built with a fish ladder, however since the downstream McIntyre Dam was not, the fish ladder is not operable. With the recent efforts at rebuilding Okanagan sockeye salmon runs, including the re-introduction of sockeye salmon into Skaha Lake plus construction of a fish passage at McIntyre Dam, the fish ladder may be refurbished in the near future.

Between Skaha Lake and Vaseux Lake are four concrete weirs or "drop structures" which control the river current. Each drop structure is about 1 metre high and has multiple weir openings designed for fish passage.