When water gets stored in a reservoir and used to make hydropower, it can mean there isn’t enough water downstream for salmon. Salmon can’t get upstream to spawn when the river is too low.
So for two days a week this summer, BC Hydro is going to release more water from the Comox Dam to give the salmon a chance to migrate.
Starting June 15, and every Tuesday and Wednesday until July 14, BC Hydro will release twice as much water. This means that the river will be fast and high along the Barber’s Hole, Nymph Falls, and Stotan Falls section of the river.
While the extra flows are good for salmon, they’re more dangerous for people. Safety signs will be posted at popular spots to make sure folks know to be careful.
This time of year, the summer Chinook salmon are on the move. The extra water will help them swim up the Puntledge and through the Comox Dam fish ladder to their spawning ground upstream.
High flow dates:
- June 15–16
- June 22–23
- June 29–30
- July 6–7
- July 13–14
