Wild Coast Magazine / Spring 08
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There’s a science behind the art of whitewater paddling, and BC Hydro may well have perfected it.
It’s a mathematical formula, but rather than MC², this particular equation equals 85 cubic metres per second.
That, BC Hydro and local whitewater enthusiasts have found out, is the rate of flow that makes the Puntledge River perfect for whitewater.
Perfect? Don’t doubt it. It may well be the best whitewater in Canada.
Steve Watons, the public affairs coordinator for BC Hydro, says the utility company has come a long way in the last few years in calculating the ideal flow.
“Basically BC Hydro knew very little about the kayaking community prior to 2001,” he said.
That year BC Hydro began a water use plan for the Puntledge, and the kayaking community came on board through representation by the Vancouver Island Whitewater Paddling Society.
The society knew what BC Hydro didn’t: that the Puntledge River is one of the best rivers in BC, if not internationally, when the conditions are right.
“You pretty much have to go to Norway to see a system like that,” said Shayne Vollmers of the Vancouver Island Whitewater Paddling Society.
So BC Hydro and the paddling society started to take a look at the various flow levels on the Puntledge and what this means for the various water features.
The Puntledge River is one of four on Vancouver Island that BC Hydro has been examining for water use, as the utility controls the levels by way of an upstream dam. The other rivers are Ash, Jordan and Campbell rivers.
The Puntledge runs 3.7 kilometres from the Comox Lake reserve to the diversion dam, then flows another five kilometres, with an average flow of 6 cubic metres per second – far below the ideal.
But BC Hydro found they have latitude around the “spill events” – that is, when they can discharge excess water. The result is the ability to create ideal paddling conditions at pre-determined times, with about 10 spill events per year, most set for weekends when most paddlers can enjoy the benefits.
For the whitewater paddling society, it’s the best possible outcome, with the set times allowing the group to host a Puntledge River Paddle Festival. The fourth annual festival takes place May 30 to June 1, 2008. The 2007 festival attracted 120 paddlers, and Watson said the interest is increasing.
“Ten people from Strathcona Park Lodge from Europe said the Puntledge River ranks as one of the best ever. This year it’s going to a new level,” he said.
For those who prefer more calm water, however, Puntledge River offers another option: a great flatwater paddle between the Comox Dam and a canoe pull-out near the upper fish hatchery.
Thanks to BC Hydro, the area is also strewn with hiking and biking trails, which make for great vantage points to see the rapids, while in most conditions Stotan Falls makes for a great family day trip (though shore space is sorely lacking). Park by the Comox Logging Road bridge and walk down the river to the falls.
Copyright Wild Coast Magazine
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