Residents are urged to keep away from the Campbell River through to Feb. 4th.
Temporary safety signage has been placed along the Campbell River, as system reservoir levels continue to rise due to wet winter weather.
BC Hydro spokesperson Stephen Watson says all the rain and snowmelt water has absorbed into the reservoir.
“The reservoir has come up about 3.5 metres and is currently at 219 metres and rising,” Watson says. “Our goal is to generally keep the reservoir level below 220.5 metres at this time of year for flood risk management abilities. Should the reservoir level reach 222 metres, which we currently do not forecast hitting, we would then lose all flood risk management abilities and all water inflows would be passed downstream.”
The Lower Campbell Reservoir/McIvor Lake Reservoir level has increased as well and is currently at 177.25 metres and rising.
Generally, BC Hydro’s goal is to keep this level below 178.3 metres.
The year-round base flow below the John Hart Dam and down the Elk Falls Canyon is 4 cubic metres per second, and there is potential to increase to about 110 cubic metres per second over the next week should the predicted forecast hold.
“We are also following a potential storm on Tuesday. Should the storms unfold as forecasted, we forecast the Upper Campbell Reservoir/Buttle Lake being around 219.7 metres by end of day Monday, and Lower Campbell Reservoir/McIvor Lake being around 177.8 metres.”
Watson adds that BC Hydro is aware of the downstream and contributing Quinsam River flows, which is currently flowing at around 40 metres per second, as well as the high tide cycle.
Flows may reduce from the John Hart facility during the high tide.
BC Hydro will adjust water releases downstream as needed as the ongoing storm systems arrive and closely monitor the actual water flows that come into the Campbell River system.
The City of Campbell River has been contacted for coordination.
