WATER PROBLEMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 248, 1 August 1941, Page 6

WATER PROBLEMS

IRRIGATION RACE OBSTRUCTIONS SACKING UP OF STORM WATER deputation to council Difficulties occasioned by the back-ing-up of storm water through the Construction of siphons on the irrigation system in the north-west area of Ashburton County were placed before the Ashburton County Council this aftei’noott by a deputation of members at the Ashburton Coitnty Seepage Association and farmers of the Methven district. The meeting Was also attended by the Public Works District Engineer (Mr T. G. Beck) and the resident engineer (Mr J. O. Riddell). The deputation Was introduced by Mr R. D. Robinson (chairman of the Association), who said the farmers were members of a branch of the Association formed in the Methven district. Problems had arisen which were not foreseen when the irrigation scheme was first started. Mr J. Fleming said the Mount Hutt district had always been subject to flooding and he showed on a map the course of storm channels, across which the irrigation race had been cut. There were not sufficient siphons in the system, causing water to be diverted over other new channels.

Compensation in money was no compensation to a farmer, who would sooner take out his own crop in the ordinary way instead of having it washed out, continued Mr Fleming. He had looked up rainfall figures in the district and quoted flooding that had been experienced in 1925 and 1936, when not much damage was done, the storm channels carrying the water. In September, 1940, many crops were washed out and sheep drowned in areas where Water had never collected before. Again, in March last, there was more damage through heavy rain. Question of Flood Water. Mr M. Macale said that the storm water drained out on to the plain, reaching the son in heavy _ flood in past years, though recently it took a very heavy flood to reach Lauriston, because of the fencing and channelling that had been done. A race which the County Council had put in years ago had turned the flood water in an easterly direction. Below this there Was the irrigation channel, which threw the water in another direction that was not in the line of the natural fall of the land. For want of siphons the water was being sent on to farms where much damago had been done through scouring at a point about miles below Methven on the main road. This water Was diverted from a wide area above. Beyond this, on the east side, the. channels were not able toi cope with one quarter of the flood Water that came down. A desperate position had arisen. The farmers asked that the Council and the engineers should do something to relieve the position. Mr J. A. Callaghan spoke of similar problems in other parts of the district and asked for an assurance that there would be no scouring at the siphons aiid if the engineers would confer with the farmers on the disposition of siphons.

Mr Macalo suggested points where extra siphons could be placed to meet the backing-up problem. It was considered that pits dug in corners of paddocks would get rid cf a large quantity of flood, water, as water run into an irrigation channel did not reach more than six chains along it; it went straight through the bottom. Shingle pits which had acted in this manner had been filled in during the making of irrigation channels. Support for these points was given by Sir McDonald. Mr J. Carr said the deputation had put its case very mildly. The County Chairman (Mr S. P. Taylor) said it was the eoinmonsense thing to go into the problems at once. Mr Book States Position Mr Deck said the question of flood by-passes had been a very urgent one with the engineers, and much thought had been given to it. The practice was to confer with each owner of land as to flood liability before siphons were decided cn. Mr Beck displayed plans of some of the district affected. On these he pointed out catchment areas that had been specially surveyed. From these, flood valves could be gauged, and on these the size of the siphons had been planned. It was appreciated that no matter how many siphons were provided there would be problems, and some difficulties could not he met in advance. The main race was practically level and could not throw water as badly as had been mentioned. It could impound the water, however. A large number of culverts to deal with flood water were pointed out by Mr Beck, who explained measures that could lie taken, i‘fc a considerable cost, to run the flood water to the north .or north-east. He had never had any complaint about the movement of flood water. The engineers were anxious to get as much local knowledge on the subject as was possible. Farmers showed communicate at once with the engineers when flood damage was being done. Mr Mac-ale said that if another Hood came shortly, hundreds of acres of wheat would he ruined. Mr Beck said that it could not he predicted as to what the water would do when it went through the culverts, but where trouble developed it would he dealt with at once. If other siphons were required the engineers would be glad to hear of reasons for their construction. The chairman said this was reasonable.