BC Hydro has released a public safety advisory urging residents to stay away from the Puntledge River from Monday, Dec. 4 through Friday, Dec. 8.
Water releases from the Comox Dam down the Puntledge River may be about double the typical flow rate for this time for year. Temporary danger safety signage advising of the higher river flows will be posted by today.
鈥淭he Puntledge River powerhouse is currently out of service with an equipment issue that we hope to have resolved later this week,鈥� said BC Hydro spokesperson Stephen Watson. 鈥淲ith no water passing through the powerhouse, all downstream water flows from the Comox Dam are flowing through the Barber鈥檚 Hole and Nymph Falls section of the Puntledge River.鈥�
The water release from the Comox Dam is generally around 35 cubic metres per second for full electricity generation at the powerhouse and for fish habitat flows. This week, starting Monday night, the flow may be up to 60 m3/s.
This is a typical flood risk management water release during storm season. The flow rates will depend on the water inflows from the storm and when the powerhouse comes back online.
The Browns and Tsolum rivers will also be adding water into the river system downstream.
The forecasted daily water inflow average for Tuesday, Dec. 5 is forecasted to be around 125 m3/s. This will depend on the amount of rainfall and snowmelt.
鈥淲e will be monitoring the river flows and the high tides, and may reduce the discharge from Comox Dam if needed on Tuesday,鈥� said Watson. 鈥淭he high tides are about average for this time of year, at about 4.8 metres, so good timing for today鈥檚 storm into the peak water flows on Tuesday. The tides were 5.2 metres last week. The next set of king tides, with a peak of 5.4 metres, is Dec. 14-20.鈥�
Comox Lake Reservoir level is currently at 133.4 metres or around the middle elevation range. The level has moved downward since mid-November with the dry weather and running the powerhouse at full capacity. Precipitation for the month of November was 69 per cent of normal. There鈥檚 good reservoir storage room available to absorb water inflows from storms this month.
