BC Hydro will be reducing river flows in the Puntledge River to help conserve water during the dry season.
"The Comox Lake Reservoir level is currently at about 134.1 metres and has steadily trended downward since early July. Our water supply forecast between now and the end of September is just 65 per cent of normal. Cumulative precipitation for June and July were 23 per cent and 9 per cent of normal. Actual water inflows into the Comox Lake Reservoir in June and July were 71 per cent and 50 per cent of normal. Temperatures have not been extremely hot, avoiding possible compounded effects of low precipitation," a release from BC Hydro says.
Based on water supply forecasts, BC Hydro will be reducing the river flow downstream of the powerhouse. The reduction will take place on Aug 15, going from 16 cubic metres per second to 14 cubic metres per second.
"Particularly during these dry times, we balance the declining inflows from continued dry weather with the current and future fish activity in the river, such as the summer chinook that are currently in the system and water supply for the returning fall chinook," the statement says.
The reduction may expose the riverbed, so the plan is to slowly lower the flow in stages. Crews will be sent to key areas along the river to ensure stranded fish are returned to the main stream.
"By reducing the flows to 14 m3/s, we hope to eliminate the need for future flow reductions during the dry months," the statement says. "We will continue to monitor weather and water inflows into the system and update our water modelling to manage downstream flows and water storage through to the early fall."
