The snow pack is now almost gone and water inflows into the Campbell River system have dropped off over the past week, says BC Hydro.
“The Upper Campbell Reservoir/Buttle Lake water level is slowly declining from its peak and BC Hydro can now reduce the Campbell River flow below the John Hart Generating Station for better recreation fishing access,” Stephen Watson, spokesperson for Hydro, announced Wednesday.
The Upper Campbell Reservoir hit a high of 220.1 metres and now sits at 219.85 m.
With water inflows dropping off, BC Hydro will reduce the Campbell River flow from 85 cubic metres per second to about 60 cubic metres per second by Monday. Power generation will be reduced by about seven m3/s per day.
“The drop of about 25 m3/s from the current Campbell River flow will provide recreation users with better river accessibility for nearly one month,” Watson says. Beginning in mid-September, BC Hydro will slowly increase river flows to lower the reservoirs in anticipation of the fall rains and for flood risk management.