Vermilion Dam is located at Highway 41 within NE 31-50-6-W4M, just north of the town of Vermilion, approximately 190 km east of Edmonton. The Dam is a 500 m long and approximately 10-25 m high earthfill dam across the Vermilion River, and has a minimum dam crest elevation of 582.0 m. Vermilion Reservoir (known as Vermilion Park Lake) is impounded by Vermilion Dam, which has a total storage capacity of 3,500 dam3 at its full supply level (FSL) of 575.8 m. The reservoir elevation is controlled by an ungated, free overflow ogee weir spillway and a gated riparian outlet.

Alberta Environment and Parks commissioned NHC to conduct dam breach inundation study for the Vermilion Dam. The scope of work included: (1) a site inspection and residence inventory, (2) dam breach inundation analysis, (3) assessment of potential incremental losses due to a dam failure, (4) recommendations for consequence classification, and (5) inundation map preparation to support emergency preparedness and emergency response planning.

NHC developed a hydraulic model of the reservoir, spillway, riparian outlet, and downstream flood route to Vermilion River and North Saskatchewan River till Alberta-Saskatchewan border. Various dam failure and reservoir routing scenarios were simulated, including sunny-day and flood-induced failures. NHC also conducted a sensitivity analysis along with flood risk mapping, to determine the maximum potential flood risk. The project was completed in accordance with the 2007 CDA Dam Safety Guidelines (and their 2013 revision).