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BC Hydro increasing flow down Elk Falls to assist steelhead migration and spawning

Water flows within Elk Falls Canyon are increasing today to assist steelhead in migrating and spawning below Elk Falls, BC Hydro says.
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Elk Falls plunges into the canyon during a high flow event. Mike Davies/Campbell River Mirror file

Water flows within Elk Falls Canyon are increasing today to assist steelhead in migrating and spawning below Elk Falls, BC Hydro says.

BC Hydro is commencing five flow increases in two-day bursts to help steelhead access good habitat from the powerhouse tunnel outlet area up to the base of Elk Falls. The water releases from the John Hart dam, which will increase from 4 cubic metres per second (m3/s) to 10 m3/s, will take place Feb. 19-21, 26-28, and March 5-7, 12-14, and 19-21. A public river safety advisory is in place from John Hart dam to Elk Falls during the migration flows – the public is asked to stay away from the river at this location during the migration flows. Safety signage is in place.

Out of consideration for public safety, BC Hydro begins to increase the water discharges for each of the migration flows from the dam at night.

With the cold weather and snow, the inflows into the Campbell River system have been low over the past two weeks, and similar to what we would see during summer time water inflows. On Feb. 13, the daily water inflow average was only 18 m3/s. It will bump up very slightly to the mid-20’s this week.

“We have been running the John Hart generating station at about 135 MW, or 100 per cent of capacity for the last six days,” said BC Hydro spokesperson Stephen Watson.

The total discharge from the John Hart dam and powerhouse down the Campbell River flow is about 128 m3/s. One generating unit will be out of service starting next week through the end of the month, so the river flow will drop by about 42 m3/s over that time period. The flows from the generating station will remain the same during the canyon migration flows so those flows will cause slight increases in the river downstream of the powerhouse.

The Upper Campbell Reservoir/Buttle Lake elevation is now at 217.45 metres and slowly dropping.

“We have also just started what we hope to be the final tests of the new public warning system around the John Hart facility and along the Campbell River,” Watson said. “These siren tests may take place periodically over the next two weeks so the system is working as intended to warn the public of sudden water flow changes. We would like to thank the public that live near the river, and for walkers along the Canyon View Trail or up near Elk Falls, for their patience. “