The Kinbasket Reservoir will be a little more user friendly this summer when BC Hydro completes the new boat ramp at Bush Harbour.
On-site construction work to finish the boat ramp is currently underway, and is expected to be completed by the end of May, just in time for the summer boating season said Jennifer Walker-Larson, a communication representative for BC Hydro.
On-site construction work includes placing concrete on the lower 50 metres of ramp and installing the floating walkway and its anchors. I have attached several photos that show the concrete panels to be installed, the floating walkway, and forming the anchors for the floating walkway. The completed Bush Harbour boat ramp is designed to extend to a reservoir elevation of 724.6 metres (2377.4 feet). The ramp includes a floating walkway and two floating log breakwaters to protect from wind and waves.
BC Hydro built the new Bush Harbour boat ramp under the Columbia River Water Use Plan to improve reservoir recreation. Also under the Columbia River Water Use Plan, BC Hydro has a debris management program for Kinbasket Reservoir in place to remove floating woody debris and has a Recreation Demand Study underway to understand links between reservoir levels and boat recreation.
The boat ramp is not usable during construction.
