Upstream of the Comox dam. File photo courtesy Stephen Watson/BC Hydro
B.C. Hydro warns Comox residents to stay away from Puntledge River area as they begin increasing water release from the Comox Lake reservoir today.
Due to flood management, at least 100 cubic meters per second of water is expected to be released from the dam starting this evening, in preparation for the upcoming storm system.
Puntledge River is recommended to be avoided today through Monday, with BC Hydro reporting “very low downstream flood risk” as of Wednesday morning.
B.C. Hydro says water levels are increasing near overflow levels at the Comox Lake reservoir with 65 millimetres of precipitation since yesterday in the upper watershed of the reservoir.
Due to the upcoming storm system, water flowing into the reservoir is expected to be over 100 cubic meters a second today and tomorrow.
BC Hydro expects Browns and Tsolumn rivers to be relatively unaffected by the storm, but plan to reduce the dam’s water release during the morning high tides should problems arise.
Ocean tide levels are reported by B.C. Hydro to be “moderately high” at 5 meters, with the forecast of some surging “up the estuary from the southeast winds”.
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