BC Hydro has reduced the Puntledge River flow to conserve water within the Comox Lake Reservoir in case it’s a dry summer and early fall.

The Comox Lake Reservoir level reached a high of 135.2 metres in June. It’s just slightly below that now, but still within normal operating range.

BC Hydro says its focus is to provide water flows downstream for fish habitat this summer and into the fall for the consideration of the returning salmon that will be entering the river system this fall, and their ability to migrate and spawn.

The utility says the change means a public safety advisory is in place - asking people to be cautious from today  onward in the Barber’s Hole and Nymph Falls areas of the river, from the diversion dam to the powerhouse, where flows will be about double the normal summer flow.