News Blog – Page 2

Lake and River Level Updates from Catalyst Paper

July 30, 2020 by CowichanWatershedBoard Leave a Comment

Every week during the ‘control’ season when the weir spill gates and boat locks and is in use (closed or partly closed), Catalyst Paper Mill’s Environment Manager provides updates on Cowichan Lake water levels and Cowichan River flows. As the lake is currently full enough to maintain river flows as per the rule curve, we won’t keep reposting them but instead encourage you to visit the Catalyst website if you’d like to see this week’s graphs.

https://www.catalystpaper.com/page/cowichan-water-management-information

July 27 2020

Weekly Lake and River Update from Catalyst Paper – June 29

June 30, 2020 by CowichanWatershedBoard Leave a Comment

Every week during the ‘control’ season when the weir spill gates and boat locks and is in use (closed or partly closed), Catalyst Paper Mill’s Environment Manager provides updates on Cowichan Lake water levels and Cowichan River flows. Re-posted with permission and available at https://www.catalystpaper.com/page/cowichan-water-management-information

Email from Catalyst Paper, June 29, 2020:

Greetings,

Conditions remain near ideal for watershed with river flow holding at summer base flow of 7 cms and lake near 100% full. Overcast weather with minimal rainfall expected in coming 7 days and in general, we can expect minimal rainfall for coming months. As reported last week, snow pack is now zero so I will no longer present zero snow pack trends with weekly email. For those of you who can see work activity ongoing at the weir, this past week included bore hole drilling. Bore hole drilling at the weir is needed to properly design the new weir.

Wishing you all a great day,

Regards,
Brian Houle, Manager, Environment, Catalyst Crofton

Weekly Lake and River Update from Catalyst Paper – June 15

June 18, 2020 by CowichanWatershedBoard Leave a Comment

Cowichan Lake levels graph. Year over year comparison at June 15 2020 (Source: Catalyst Paper)

Every week during the ‘control’ season when the weir spill gates and boat locks and is in use (closed or partly closed), Catalyst Paper Mill’s Environment Manager provides an update by email to anyone interested. Excerpt below re-posted with permission. The full update can be viewed at https://www.catalystpaper.com/page/cowichan-water-management-information

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Weekly email update from Catalyst Paper, June 15, 2020:

Greetings on a wet summer day,

We have arrived to final day of 15 cms from lake and today will begin to ramp flow down to summer base flow of 7 cms.

In order to protect fish and fish habitat, flow reductions from 15 cms to 7 cms are conducted at 1 cms reduction per day.

Catalyst begins to reduce river flow from lake in afternoon and into early evening in order to have flow reductions in river occur under cover of darkness.

Water leaving the lake passes by Duncan about 12 hours later and the survival of small fish depends on them not being trapped in disconnecting side-channels and pools of water.

Weather forecast not showing much rainfall in coming week and snow pack shows almost fully melted.

With lake as full as it is, flow reductions to 7 cms could result in lake level rising to overfull.

Flow reductions could be stopped if risk lake level rises to or to above 100% level.

Regards,
Brian Houle, Manager, Environment, Catalyst Crofton

Weekly Lake and River Update from Catalyst Paper – June 1

June 2, 2020 by CowichanWatershedBoard Leave a Comment

Cowichan Lake levels graph. Year over year comparison at June 1 2020 (Source: Catalyst Paper)

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Weekly email update from Catalyst Paper, June 1, 2020:

Good day,

Conditions remain nearly ideal in the watershed regarding water inventory.

The lake remains at 100% full and flow remains at 15 cms, a bit higher than 15 cms due to the high lake level.

Snow pack melting has sustained the higher flows and will continue to support 15 cms to June 15 when the flow will ramp down to 7 cms.

Weather forecast shows rainfall in coming 7 days but not much rainfall predicted to arrive at Lake Cowichan area.

Regards,
Brian Houle, Manager, Environment, Catalyst Crofton

Cowichan River levels – year over year comparison. June 1 2020 (Catalyst graph)

Heather Mountain Snow pack levels (Catalyst graph)

Weekly Lake and River Update from Catalyst Paper – May 25

May 25, 2020 by CowichanWatershedBoard Leave a Comment

Cowichan Lake Level graph for May-25-2020. (Catalyst Paper)

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Weekly email update from Catalyst Paper, May 25 2020:

Greetings on another wet day,

Lake remains at 100% full and just a little bit over full.

Flow remains at 16 cms given the lake remains in this high level condition.

Rainfall is predicted this week but not much rainfall and expecting the flow will be reduced to seasonal target of 15 cms.

Once river flow is at 15 cms, that flow will be sustained until June 15.

Snow pack continues to melt and helping sustain the higher river flows.

Regards,
Brian Houle, Manager, Environment, Catalyst Crofton

Cowichan River level graph for May 25 2020. (Catalyst Paper)

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