WAIMAKARIRI RIVER MOUTH

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22005, 1 February 1937, Page 15

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER MOUTH

;• TO THE EDITOB 07 THE PRESS. Sir,—The lower reaches of the Waittakariri river may be likened to a human leg and foot. For some years, Jjßtil three months ago, the mouth has been at the toe. It is now at the "Wtep, and the concrete blocks across «e spit are near the heel, otherwise Kairaki. We are told by engineers that jf the mouth can be stabilised at we heel the flood level of the river Jt high tide will be lowered by two «et at the Empire bridge. I beg to question this statement. The sea jevel is the same at the heel as at the '°e of the lagoon, and all the efforts w the Waimakariri River Trust have been to shorten the course of the nver by the length of the lagoon, and fain the fall between the heel and we toe— at J;he most two feet. .As I see It, the sea level, otherwise we tide, will extend to the same point ana to the same height up the river, , whether the mouth be at the heel or we of the lagoon, but with the outlet « Kairaki the outfall will be more rapid, with a consequently greater scour. There will be little advance in this until the river has rei graded its bed to the mouth, perhaps another 20 years, and long before it °? c °nies necessary to raise the banks ««the bridge they will require extends towards the mouth.—Yours, etc., T WETBOB. January 30, 1937.