BC Hydro is asking you to stay away from the Elk Falls Canyon and Campbell River until after Jan. 3 as flows will be high and dangerous.
As of Monday, BC Hydro says total rainfall in the upper watershed was around 100 mm and the daily average water inflows into the system was 230 m3/s. They add the hourly peak on Tuesday was over 800 m3/s, which could fill an Olympic-sized pool in about three seconds.
The upper Campbell Reservoir/Buttle Lake has been rising, and now sits at 218.7 metres above sea level. Hydro says they prefer to see it below 219.5 metres for flood risk management.
They say the John Hart power station is at full electricity generation and the Quinsam Diversion Dam has been turned off to help control the reservoir level. Water will also be spilled over the John Hart Dam spillway gates down to Elk Falls Canyon and the flow increase could be between 60 and 80 m3/s.
Elk Falls can still be viewed from the safety of the Elk Falls Suspension Bridge and lookout, according to Hydro.
