Near Gimli in St. Andrews Municipality, Manitoba — Canada’s Prairie Region (North America)

St. Andrews Caméré Curtain Dam

Photographed By Dawn Bowen, June 20, 2008

1. St. Andrews Caméré Curtain Dam Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This is the only Caméré curtain bridge-dam built in North America, and by far the largest ever constructed. H.E .Vautelet, the Canadian engineer responsible for its design, adapted a French technological advancement to deal with the destructive and unpredictable floodwaters of the Red River. It has wooden curtains that dam the river for navigation and roll up to pass the spring freshets. The Canadian government constructed the dam, lock and machine shop/electrical powerhouse in 1907-1910 as part of a proposed river steamboat navigation extending from Winnipeg to Edmonton.

Le Barrage à Rideaux Caméré St. Andrews. Ce pont-barrage à rideaux Caméré, unique en Amérique du Nord, est de loin le plus grand jamais construit. L'ingénier canadien qui en conçut le plan, H.E. Vautelet, adapta une technique française pour parer aux inondations destructrices ét imprévisibles de la rivière Rouge. Ses rideaux en bois barrent la rivière pour faciliter la la navigation; roulés au printemps, ils laissent alors passer les crues saisonnières. Le gouvernement canadien construisit le barrage, l'écluse et la machinerie-centrale

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entre 1907 et 1910 dans le cadre d'un projet de voie navigable devant relier Winnipeg à Edmonton.

Erected 1995 by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Historic Sites and Monuments Board series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.

Location. 50° 4.946′ N, 96° 56.508′ W. Marker is near Gimli, Manitoba, in St. Andrews Municipality. Marker is on River Road (Provincial Highway 238), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 609 River Road, Gimli MB R1A 3C6, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 26 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. St. Andrews Anglican Church (approx. 3.1 kilometers away); St. Andrew’s Rectory (approx. 3.1 kilometers away); Twin Oaks (approx. 4.4 kilometers away); Nicolaus Copernicus / Mikołaj Kopernik (approx. 24.6 kilometers away); St. Boniface / Saint-Boniface (approx. 24.7 kilometers away); Commemorating Manitoba Theatre Centre's 50th Anniversary (approx. 24.8 kilometers away); The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (approx. 24.8 kilometers away); Pantages Theatre (approx. 24.8 kilometers away).

Marker with view of dam image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dawn Bowen, June 20, 2008

2. Marker with view of dam

St. Andrews Caméré Curtain Dam image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dawn Bowen, June 20, 2008

3. St. Andrews Caméré Curtain Dam

Two left portions of curtain are lowered into the river.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2008, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,709 times since then and 12 times this year. Last updated on July 16, 2008, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 20, 2008, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.