Spray Lakes Reservoir, reservoir in Alberta, Canada

Spray Lakes Reservoir is a large body of water near Canmore surrounded by tall, rugged mountains with clear, calm waters. The flat shoreline with rocky hills creates several areas for visitors to explore, from picnic grounds with tables and fire pits to trails that lead into the surrounding mountains.

Spray Lakes Reservoir was created as part of Alberta's hydroelectric development and built as a dam to store water for power generation. The infrastructure reflects the early history of the region's natural resource use for industrial purposes.

The reservoir takes its name from the Spray River and the chain of lakes it once was. The Spray River diversion makes this TransAlta facility the highest-yielding conventional hydroelectric project in Alberta, and the Smith-Dorrien Trail along the eastern shore is a popular cycling and hiking route.

Highway 742, the Smith-Dorrien Trail, runs along the northern part of the lake, and hiking trails parallel the western shore. Picnic sites and campgrounds sit on both sides of the water, with provincial recreation areas at Spray Lakes West, Sparrowhawk, Buller Mountain and the Mount Shark trailhead. The reservoir lies entirely within Spray Valley Provincial Park, and the Banff National Park boundary stays within five kilometres of the western shore.

The reservoir is held back by two embankment dams built in 1951 for the Spray Hydro Electric Project: the 28-metre Canyon Dam at the southern end and the 13-metre Three Sisters Dam in the north, whose small 3 MW powerhouse diverts water toward Goat Pond and a 6-kilometre canal with an 800-metre tunnel through the shoulder of Ha Ling Peak.