The Big Bend is a region of British Columbia where the Columbia River takes a big turn from North to South. The region has a rich history of fur trading, cartography, a gold rush, Lost Highway and a power generation complex.

We explore the modern version of the highway that is used to service the dam for BC Hydro. The dam is an embankment dam that combines rock and dirt to form an earthen wall, which holds back the river, creating Kinnbaskett Lake.

One of the highest embankment dams in the world, it is a huge source of power generation. Part of a treaty with the Untied States of America, it is a key component for flood control on the Columbia River. The icefields atop the mountains can cause flooding and destruction if not controlled. This is a region of extreme beauty and a deep history.

#powergeneration #hydropower #goldrush #gold #britishcolumbia #columbiariver #history #explorebc #embankment #highway #prospecting #prospector #powerhouse #electricity #flooding #exploration #bc
#hydro #ghosttown #mountains #nature #goldmines #automobile #losthistory #unitedstates #canada #infrastructure #technology #usa #engineering #lake