Water flows in the Campbell River system will be going down starting Monday.
BC Hydro issued the notice earlier this week, saying they will lower flows from 80 cubic metres per second to 30 cubic meters per second, moving the system to low summer flow conditions early.
While this change generally takes place in the first week of July, Hydro says they’re doing it early given the water storage conditions of the upper reservoirs. The decision comes due to results from their long-term water supply forecast, which runs from February to September.
“The Upper Campbell Reservoir/Butte Lake reservoir elevation is currently at 216.3 metres, 1.3 metres below the historical average,” said Hydro.
“The reservoir drafted to a low of 216.1 metres on May 28, before rising to its current elevation. It is expected to rise to 217.4 m before moving downward over the summer.”
Hydro says they forecast the reservoir level to be in the lower end of its summer recreation target, which is from 217 to 220.5 metres, for most of the summer, with a chance it might drop below that range in August.
For the Lower Campbell Reservoir/McIvor Lake, it’s above 177 metres and has a target recreation level of 176.5 to 177.5 metres.
They say in the supply forecast for June, the Campbell system is at 78.87 percent of normal.
“That is a decrease of 2% since the last water supply forecast was issued in May,” said Hydro. “The residual forecast for the June to September period is 67% of normal.”
While the system moves into lower flows, Hydro will be managing the water storage of the Wokas Lake Reservoir and the connected Upper Quinsam Lake this summer, with storage currently full for both lakes.
