About two million Chinook smolts will be released from the Puntledge River Hatchery, so BC Hydro will release higher volumes of water Tuesday to help their migration to the ocean.
BC Hydro is advising the public to stay away from the river banks of the Puntledge River May 29.
About 1.8 million Fall Chinooks and another 300,000 Summer Chinooks will be released Tuesday.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Puntledge Watershed manager Laurent Frisson said in a statement the DFO request was made to prevent seals from eating juvenile and adult salmon during key migration periods and to improve fish survival.
Water flows from the dam will increase from 18 cubic-metres-per-second to about 60m3/s starting Tuesday night, and will hold until reduced to 26 m3/s Wednesday night.
Due to dry conditions, BC Hydro has been conserving water in the Comox Lake Reservoir since February.
The corporation says the one-day of higher flow will mean less power generation, but it will have a full reservoir in June.
BC Hydro says it reduced Puntledge River flow and power generation on Wednesday to conserve water for the Chinook smolt release.
CHEK News
