HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 50, 28 February 1923, Page 9

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

LAKE TAUFO BUBBIPENCB

IMPORTANCE OF WAIKATO RIVER

A note on the significance of the recent subsidence of the shores of Lake Taupo, which appears in the "New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology," and. written by Mr. Ralph 11. Ward, of Taupo, contains points of special interest to the Auckland Province with the advent of the proposal for hydro-electric schemes on a large scale. The article refers to the seismic phenomena at Taupo for the last five months, and deals with the significance of the subsidence of the Lake shore at Whakaipo Bay. The writer emphasises the fact that the greater part there lof the Western Bay was originally ' formed by the great volcani, crater or series of craters. "It is equally apparent," the writer states, "that the area thus formed has been gradually enlarged by subsidences similar to that which has been going on of late at Whakaipo." The article points out that the Waikato River, the outlet of the lake, flows out from the north-west end of Tapuaeharuru Bay. In all these hays old totara trees may be found submerged in varying depths of water, and some still protruding from the surface. Their location and the natural upright position of many of them, shows clearly that they have been submerged by subsidence, and not washed into the lake by floods'. At Waikaipo Bay one partly submerged stump, a well-known mark to launch men, has been completely submerged by the recent subsidence. Mr. Ward points out that similar subsidences at Tapuaeharuru Bay would have permanently lowered the lake bed nine feet, and the result of the increased overflow must have been serious fio-us in the Waikato River. As movements along the line of the fault are still liable to be experienced intermittently, Mr,. Ward points ont that any possibility of such occurrences merit careful attention in order to keep a check en the probability of any such overflow of the lake.