BC Hydro has lowered the Comox Lake Reservoir by about a half-metre over the last three days, in advance of a storm hitting the watershed, the company said Tuesday.
The reservoir has plenty of room to absorb the two-day storm and allow BC Hydro to significantly cut back discharges from the dam before high tides hit.
The reservoir is lower than normal for this time of year. Hydro is in a good position for flood risk management.
Water inflows into the reservoir are forecasted to be high with heavy rain and warm temperatures causing snow melt. Rain amounts might exceed 100 millimetres over the next two days while the freezing level is expected to rise to about 2,000 metres.
Snow pack is lower than normal — which will help the situation — along with high ocean tides that are also lower than normal. It is uncertain what the Brown and Tsolum rivers may hit for peak flows and if they peak at the high ocean tide.
High river flows will be in place with potentially fluctuating river flows as BC Hydro adjusts its operations to ocean tides. The public is therefore advised to stay away from the rivers through Thursday.
Kayakers enjoyed ideal conditions Monday.
— BC Hydro
