BC Hydro is increasing water flows within Elk Falls Canyon to assist steelhead in migrating and spawning below Elk Falls.
BC Hydro has begun five two-day fish migration and spawning pulse flows down Elk Falls Canyon. The water releases from the John Hart dam, which will increase from four cubic metres to 10 cubic metres, started Wednesday and Thursday of this week and will be repeated Feb. 22-23, and March 1-2, 22-23, and 29-30. A public river safety advisory is in place from John Hart dam to Elk Falls during the migration flows. 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.
Water supply forecast
BC Hydro’s February to September water supply forecast is in.
Each month, the forecast will be updated with the best gauge on how the summer water abundance conditions may be by the May forecast update. The snowpack will have peaked by then.
For now, the water supply to September is forecasted to be 89 per cent of normal, with a variation of 14 per cent should it be dry or wet. The snowpack in the upper watershed is currently slightly below normal.