BC Hydro will be increasing water flows down Elk Falls Canyon by eight times what they are currently later this month.
The increase is part of summer maintenance work, and temporary signs will be in place to warn people to stay away from the water around the Elk Falls Canyon area.
The work is timed to coincide with low water conditions in the summer. It allows BC Hydro to do maintenance work at the reservoir as well as the water bypass system, which protects fish habitat downstream.
The work will be done from July 11 to 26. People are asked to stay away from the area upstream of Elk Falls, but they can still enjoy the view from the safety of the Elk Falls Suspension Bridge.
Stephen Watson with BC Hydro says the lower Campbell River flow of 30 m3/s will remain unchanged during the water flow transfers taking place upstream.
“We plan to hold at that flow rate through the summer,” he says.
The range of water releases from the John Hart facilities can range from 128 m3/s at full power generation, to a low of 28 m3/s in the summer period.
On the Quinsam River system, on June 30 we will reduce the water discharge from the Quinsam River Diversion Dam down the Quinsam River from the minimum fish habitat flow of 1 m3/s to 0.7 m3/s.
“We are doing this this to conserve water storage in Wokas Lake and Upper Quinsam Lake in case it’s a dry summer and early fall,” Watson says. “In advance of the flow reduction we engaged with government fish agencies and the Comptroller of Water Rights.”
