Water levels at John Hart Dam are lower than usual because of a hot, mostly dry summer.
With less water than expected, BC Hydro is making some adjustments to flows both for power generation and migrations of fish stocks.
In an update this week, the utility reported the water supply from February to September stands at 87 per cent of normal levels.
The period from August through September is even lower, measuring at about 70 per cent normal levels. Rainfall was 33 per cent of normal in July and 38 per cent in August.
“The spring and the summer have been very dry. Thankfully, basically we had an average snowpack, though it melted a little bit earlier than normal,” said Stephen Watson, BC Hydro Stakeholder Engagement Advisor.
BC Hydro also reports the Upper Campbell Reservoir/Buttle Lake currently measure 216.2 metres, or well below normal for this time of year.
“Generally, at this time of the year it would be around 219,” said Watson.
As well, the Lower Campbell Reservoir/McIvor Lake reservoir is at 176.4 metres. This level should fluctuate due to planned maintenance.
Because of returning salmon, BC Hydro plans to pass about 30 cubic metres per second (m3/s) down the Campbell River most likely into early October, or even mid-October if dry conditions continue.
“We’ve been in kind of conservation mode,” Watson said. “We’ve balanced the reservoirs and the river…. It’s been a bit of a tough summer…. We’re operating the river as low as we can.”
As well, the seasonal fish passage flows down Elk Falls Canyon is also approaching, so BC Hydro will provide nine 48-hour “pulse” flows down the canyon on the Campbell River system to benefit migrating salmon.
“It’s a fish migration and spawning flow,” Watson said.
These flows will start on Sept. 19 and 20 and run the same two days of the week for eight weeks until Nov. 15.
The flow in the canyon will increase from about four m3/s to about seven m3/s.
The utility is planning to reduce flows out of John Hart’s generating stations by about 3 m3/s during fish migration flows in order to maintain the 30 m3/s minimum Campbell River flow, until the dry conditions are finished. Wetter weather is expected next week.
Also at John Hart, BC Hydro reported on Aug. 2 that a generator was taken out of service that was considered to be permanently damaged, though crews managed to restore it.
“We managed to get it online shortly after that,” Watson said.
The generator is operating at a de-rated capacity of 9 MW as opposed to approximately 20 MW, but it is expected to provide greater flexibility for operations.
The new underground John Hart facility has the water bypass facility and one of the three generators currently available now.
“Some of it’s up and running already,” Watson said. “The last generators will be available for service in October. It’s on schedule…. We’re very pleased with the work that’s been done.”
At the old generating station, three generators have already been shut down, with the final three to follow by the middle of October.