BC Hydro Issues Public Safety Advisory For Puntledge River

BC Hydro has issued a public safety advisory to stay away from the Puntledge River through February 5th.

River flows will be high and dangerous and fluctuating as crews adjust discharges from the Comox Dam to respond to the ocean tides. Temporary river flow safety signage is in place.

BC Hydro’s Stephen Watson says the wet weather, combined with the warmer temperatures will lead to significant snowmelt and high inflows, culminating early next week, into the Comox Lake Reservoir.

He says the downstream Browns River and Tsolum River will also likely reach high flow rates.

Watson says the Comox Lake Reservoir has come down significantly from the highs reached from the late December storms.

The level reached a high of 135.2 metres above sea-level and has since declined to the current level of 133 metres.

There is about 2.3 metres of water storage room within the reservoir which will be able to absorb most of the storm inflows into next week.

The flow has been adjusted to about  60 cubic metres per second, or about double the typical flow rate.

Water discharges below the Comox Dam down the Puntledge River may swing from about 30 cubic metres per second during high tides to up to about 200 m3/s or more during low tides early next week.

Watson says the sirens, part of the public warning system along the river system, may engage when flows are increased after high tide.