BC Hydro is reducing flows on the Campbell River to summer levels, now that the salmon outmigration is mostly complete.
Stephen Watson with the utility says the reduction is coming a few weeks early this year, just in case we face another hot, dry summer.
“Mostly we’re doing that out of consideration for the summer that’s looking to be quite dry,” he says. “Considering what we went through last fall, with really an unprecedentedly dry fall, it’s unlikely that’s going to happen again, but we just want to be proactive and cautious.”
Hydro is making the change in increments. By June 22, water flows will be halved from what they were last week to typical summer levels of 30 cubic metres per second.
Watson says the reservoirs above the river are at typical levels for this time of year. BC Hydro will try to keep them there for recreational users, and to conserve water for the return of spawning salmon in September.
