Lake Moodie Hydroelectric Reservoir



View of Lake Moodie Reservoir. Photo: Niagarafishing.net
 


 


 


 

The Lake Moodie hydroelectric reservoir is a flooded inland lake in the Twelve Mile Creek watershed that stores water for hydroelectric generation at DeCew Falls Generating Stations I and II.The reservoir is located on the Laura Secord Legacy Trail and is visible prior the terminus at DeCew House.

Lake Moodie is a part of an inland lake system in Niagara that is fed by water from Lake Erie via the Welland Canal and via feeder canals at Allanburg. Lake Moodie is the northern-most lake in the inland lake system and starts at the North side of DeCew Road bridge where it connects with Lake Gibson. Lake Moodie serves as a hydroelectric reservoir for the DeCew Falls Generating Stations I and II, and has been modified on multiple occasions to increase the waterflow for energy production.

From Toronto:
Take QEW to St. Catharines/Niagara/Fort Erie.

Take Exit Highway 406 South.
Take Highway 406 exit at St. David's Road West.
Take a left on Merrittville Hwy at stoplights.
Take a right on DeCew Road.
At 670 metres turn right into the parking lot of DeCew House historic foundation.
Fom DeCew House find the Bruce Trail which follows the edge of the water westward around Lake Moodie. You can walk along the edge of the reservoir to the very edge of the Niagara Escarpment.

From Niagara:

Take QEW Toronto-bound.

Take Exit Highway 406 South.
Take Highway 406 exit at St. David's Road West.
Take a left on Merrittville Hwy at stoplights.
Take a right on DeCew Road.
At 670 metres turn right into the parking lot of DeCew House historic foundation.
Fom DeCew House find the Bruce Trail which follows the edge of the water westward around Lake Moodie. You can walk along the edge of the reservoir to the very edge of the Niagara Escarpment.

John Patterson, the Hon. J.M. Gibson, John Moodie, James Dixon and J.W. Sutherland procured a charter dated July 9, 1896 and formed the Cataract Power Company of Hamilton Ltd. for the purposes of developing hydroelectric power and transmitting it 56 km (35 miles) to the city of Hamilton. As a result Lake Gibson was created in 1904 to store water in a reservoir for hydroelectric power generation at DeCew Falls 1 and later DeCew Falls 2. Lake Gibson is the largest inland lake in Niagara, flowing from the south east under the DeCew Road bridge and at that point becoming Lake Moodie. Lake Gibson is a man-made lake that covers what were once meadow lands at the top of the Niagara Escarpment. The lake was created by flooding the shallow valley of Beaverdams Creek which was a meandering stream flowing through this area. Beaverdams Creek plunged over the Niagara Escarpment at Decew Falls where Morningstar Mill is located. This stream was subsequently dammed to create the Lake Moodie reservoir.

Ontario Power GenerationThe Niagara Plant Group

Lake Moodie Hydroelectric Reservoir
St. Catharines, Ontario

Latitude: 43.1134738218
Longitude: -79.2537037968
UTM easting: 642077
UTM northing: 4774896

Ontario Power Generation
Website


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