BC Hydro has provided an update on Puntledge River operations, and the need to reduce river flows for water conservation given the dry watershed conditions.
The Comox Lake Reservoir level is currently at about 134.1 metres and has steadily trended downward since early July.
The water supply forecast between now and the end of September is just 65% of normal. Cumulative precipitation for June and July were 23% and 9% of normal.
Actual water inflows into the Comox Lake Reservoir in June and July were 71% and 50% of normal. Temperatures have not been extremely hot, for the most part, avoiding possible compounded effects of low precipitation.
With the low water supply forecast, BC Hydro will be reducing the river flow downstream of the powerhouse from about 16 cubic metres per second (m3/s) to about 14 m3/s on Friday, August 15.
Particularly during these dry times, crews 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.
There may be slight riverbed exposure at the reduced flow rate so the flow will be slowly lowered in stages, while crews are sent to key river areas to ensure potentially stranded fish are returned to the water.
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