Major upgrades to improve the operability and maintainability of Buffalo Pound Dam Control Structure required a coating that was durable, robust, resistant to wear and damage, and would last for a very long time. Hot-dip galvanizing was the obvious choice.

Buffalo Pound Dam forms Buffalo Pound Lake, the first major reservoir on the Qu'Appelle river system. While relatively small in size, this reservoir and dam is critical to the economy of Saskatchewan as it provides drinking water for a third of the Province's residents, supplies water to two significant potash mines, and supports recreation at numerous downstream Provincial and Regional parks.

The control structure is largely un-manned, with visiting Operators who check on reservoir and river conditions and adjust gate settings as required. These Operational teams do not have time or budget to maintain and touch-up coatings or address rust and corrosion. Hot-dip galvanizing's robustness and long-term durability offers an ideal "build it and forget about it" approach to corrosion resistance.

Additionally, the control structure steel sees a lot of abuse as Operators lift, move, place, and remove heavy steel stoplogs, bulkheads, and trash racks. Unlike paint and other top coat systems, hot-dip galvanizing stands up much better to bump and abrasion damage.