Canmore’s Main Water Source Is Under Repair—Here’s What It Looks Like Up Close

On July 30, a few of us from the Bow Valley Insider team headed up Spray Lakes Road to see the Rundle Forebay maintenance work for ourselves. 

With lower water levels and access restrictions now in effect, we figured not everyone would get to see what’s happening firsthand, so we brought back photos and a full update.

What’s Happening?

From July 28 to September 26, TransAlta is conducting essential repairs to the Spray Canal that feeds into the Rundle Forebay—Canmore’s primary drinking water source. While routine, the project means the canal will operate as a semi-closed system for the next two months. In simple terms: much less water flowing in or out.

To protect Canmore’s water supply and firefighting capacity, the Town of Canmore has already enacted Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions (effective July 14), and shifted water sourcing to the downtown pumphouse, which draws from groundwater.

What We Saw

We drove up Highway 742 toward the Nordic Centre and stopped just before the Ha Ling trailhead at Whiteman’s Pond, the area most visibly impacted by the project so far.

• Water levels are significantly down. You can now see the rocky bed where water once flowed, and construction crews are working in what used to be the middle of the pond.

• Heavy machinery is everywhere. Service trucks and excavators are parked along the roadside, with active work taking place across both sides of the canal.

• Traffic is reduced to a single alternating lane. Expect flaggers and short delays if you head up that way.

• The smell? Think wet mud. With stagnant water and exposed sediment, the entire area smells earthy, musty, and, well... like construction.

That said, Rundle Forebay itself (by the Nordic Centre) isn’t showing any visible signs of change. The water looked perfectly normal on July 30, and we saw plenty of paddleboarders out enjoying the calm surface. It’s not to say it won’t be impacted later in the summer, but for now, it’s business as usual on the water.

Close up of an excavator and alternating traffic lanes. Expect delays along Spray Lakes Road while crews are on site.

View of lowered water levels in Whiteman’s Pond. Crews working in the drained section near Ha Ling parking lot.

A person stands in what would normally be the middle of Whiteman’s Pond. The significantly lowered water levels are visible along the shoreline and across the exposed pond bed.

You can clearly see the dark water stain along the rocks marking the usual waterline. The entrance to the cave beneath Ha Ling, normally almost submerged, is now fully visible due to the lowered water levels.

Looking Ahead

Construction is expected to wrap up by late September, with water restrictions currently set to continue until October 3. If you’re heading up to the Nordic Centre, give yourself extra time and drive carefully through the construction zone.

We also spotted 23 goats hanging out on the road, which isn’t unusual up there, but with the flaggers, machinery, and wildlife, it definitely feels a bit busier.