Seven feet beneath the ground surface, water flows in the Second Branch Aqueduct. Between 1913 and 1919, an aqueduct 97 miles in length was constructed to bring water, by gravity, from the Lake of the Woods, 300 feet above prairie elevation, to greater Winnipeg. The easterly 80 miles of the aqueduct is arch-shaped, similar to this historical marker and has a capacity of 85 million gallons of water per day as far as Deacon. From there, a smaller 66-inch diameter branch line was built to carry water into greater Winnipeg. In 1959-1960, in order to secure the maximum capacity of the aqueduct, a second 66-inch diameter, reinforced concrete branch, 12 miles in length, was constructed from Deacon to two new reservoirs, located near Wilkes Avenue in the City of Winnipeg.
Unveiled on the west side of Pembina Highway at the branch’s official opening on 17 October 1960, it was moved in 1988 when Bishop Grandin Boulevard was extended west from River Road to Waverley Street and the underpass at Pembina Highway had to be built. The large plaque and stone and metal sculpture was re-located to the median of Bishop Grandin Boulevard (now Abinojii Mikanah) on the west side of River Road.
Greater Winnipeg Water District Second Branch Aqueduct Plaque (2010)
Source: City of WinnipegSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.82300, W97.13837
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Pressure to Act: The Shoal Lake Aqueduct and the Greater Winnipeg Water District by David A. Ennis
Manitoba History, Number 72, Spring-Summer 2013Not All Down Hill From There: The Shoal Lake Aqueduct and the Greater Winnipeg Water District by David A. Ennis
Manitoba History, Number 75, Summer 2014Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Aqueduct Monument (James Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Shoal Lake Aqueduct (James Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Shoal Lake Aqueduct (Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway Station (598 Plinguet Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: 50th Anniversary of the Shoal Lake Water Supply Plaque (Broadway, Winnipeg)
Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.
We thank the City of Winnipeg for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 July 2023
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