An update on last week鈥檚 storm activity and a subsequent public safety advisory has been issued by BC Hydro.
Individuals are urged to avoid the high flows down the Barber鈥檚 Hole and Nymph Falls section of the Puntledge River until Jan. 31 due to the powerhouse being out of service.
The region experienced significant water inflows from successive storms, totaling around 300 mm of precipitation in the upper watershed from Dec. 25-30, particularly focusing on central Vancouver Island. A warm week contributed to substantial snowmelt from Dec. 28-30, which remains below the normal levels for this time of year.
December concluded with precipitation at 132 per centof the normal, and water inflows into the Comox Lake Reservoir reached 166 per cent of the normal, marking the fifth-highest in 61 years of record.
High water inflows into the reservoir, peaking at 325 cubic meters per second (m3/s) from Dec. 25-30, prompted varied discharges from the Comox Dam. The current water release stands at 140 m3/s, approximately four times the typical flow rate.
Both Browns River and Tsolum River experienced elevated flows through Dec. 30, with the Tsolum reaching a near 10-year return period storm flow of 254 m3/s on Dec. 26 during high tide.
Despite proactively lowering the Comox Lake Reservoir level to 133.65 m on Dec. 25, it increased by about 1.5 metres, reaching a peak of 135.18 m on Dec. 30. The reservoir level is currently at 134.2 m, having come down by 70 cm in the last two days.
Close monitoring of downstream river flows, high tides, and collaboration with the Comox Valley Emergency Program occurred throughout the storm activity. Fortunately, there was minimal ocean storm surge, and the weather turned drier and cooler on Saturday.
Looking ahead, as water continues to be discharged from the reservoir, plans are in place to return flows to normal conditions by the end of the public safety advisory on Jan. 31, with the reservoir expected to be around 133.7 m. The restoration of the powerhouse remains uncertain, and updates will be provided accordingly. Customers within the Comox Valley are reassured that the geographical BC Hydro power grid continues to supply electricity, unaffected by the powerhouse outage.
