Castlegar (pop. 7000; 610 m (2000 ft)), at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, was for many years an important traffic junction in the Kootenay region. Today the main employment is in the timber industry and the sawmill.
North of Castlegar, the 51 m (167 ft) high Hugh Keenleyside Dam controls the flow of the Columbia from Arrow
Lake, providing electric power and guarding against flooding. There is a lock for small boats. Boats can be chartered or rented, cycles rented and there are sightseeing flights available.