BC Hydro will increase the current water release down the Elk Falls Canyon to about 20 times the base flow today. Maintenance work is required at the John Hart dam water intake gates, so we are temporarily transferring most of the water flow through the powerhouse down Elk Falls to safely compete the work.
“In early February we removed some pond weed, that through wave action, detaches from the John Hart reservoir shorelines and builds up on the water intake trash racks at the John Hart dam,” said BC Hydro spokesperon Stephen Watson. “The debris build-up has occurred again and is causing some modest pressure issues within the penstocks and can lessen power generation capacity.
“With the water entering the penstocks to the powerhouse reduced for a day, we will provide an extra water release down Elk Falls Canyon to maintain targeted downstream fish habitat flows.
“We ask the public to stay away from the Campbell River above Elk Falls on Thursday. Safety warning signage is in place.”
The Elk Falls Canyon base flow for fish habitat is fur cubic metres per second (m3/s). There is a standing public safety notice for Elk Falls Canyon through to May with canyon flows being up to around 60 m3/s, depending on generating unit availability, as part of the John Hart project and the transfer of water flows from the old generating station to the new underground facility. Given the water release of 82 m3/s today down Elk Falls exceeds the standing 60 m3/s safety notice threshold, BC Hydro has issued an additional safety notice.