SHOALING OF BAR AT GREYMOUTH

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21708, 15 February 1936, Page 23

SHOALING OF BAR AT GREYMOUTH

RAPID FALL IN DEPTH OF WATER

(BPBCUL TO TD PUM.) GREYMOUTH. February 14. Heavy southerly seas along the! coast for the last few days, together With a low level in the Grey river, have resuited irv an abnormally rapid' shoaling of the Greymouth bar, the depth at high water to-day being’ only loft 6in, compared with 21ft 9in a week ago; Last year the bar depth averaged 24 feet, and there were only two days on which the depth was less than 18* feet. Last month the average depth was 22 feet eight inches, so that the shoaling has followed a lengthy period of highly satisfactory depths. The process of shoaling has been gradual throughout this week, hut there was a sudden drop to-day, for a reason not clearly understood. However, it is the considered opinion that southerly seas cause the deposit of material at the river mouth. , As yet shipping has not been affected by the shoaling, although the Poolta, which is in- port, and .the Kaimiro, which is in the roadstead, have been held up through the rough seas prevailing in spite of fine' weather. It is possible that the shoaling will disappear as suddenly as it has formed, but again in the past it has often taken floods in the river to clear a similar shoaling in dry weather.