IRRIGATION OF MIDDLE PLAINS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23401, 7 August 1941, Page 10

IRRIGATION OF MIDDLE PLAINS

Ex-Coal Miner.—Personal attack over nom de plume disallowed. No Petrol—You should bring the case before the Police Department over your own name. Democrat No. 2—Cannot accept illegible lett! rs.

Sir.—ln “The Press” of Tuesday you report that Mr Beck. District Engineer, described some features of the Rangitata irrigation race, and among others tnat of ’’boosting" the How in the main diversion race oy admission to it of tne waters of the South Ashburton. This raises a matter of great importance, both to those farmers of the Longbcach area who are afraid of seep jage and to those of the middle plains in whom hope deferred is making the heart sick. , , , Might it be suggested that the water oi the South Ashburton be used to irrigate part of the plains without waiting for the completion of the difficult Kangitata head works and the Surrey Hills siphon? The original Ashburton irrigation scheme was to water 30,000 or 40,000 acres near Lyndhurst; and there are several reasons why this area should still be treated separately from the rest of the county. Eirst. ah the construction work for the distribution of water in this area is complete: every drop, culvert, bridge, siphon, turn-out. and measuring weir is in place, and many of these structures have been finished and lying idle for years. Second, this area is unique in Canterbury in that there is no heavy wet land between it and the sea, so that there could be no danger of damage from seepage. This area could, therefore, be used as a testing ground for soil water movement, to see what is likely to happen elsewhere. Third, the water of the South Ashburton is, at least in part, glacial in origin, so that it carries much fine silt that would quickly seal the main race and its distributories. Fourth, the admission of the South Ashburton water to the main race, and the completion of that race to the point where it supplies the Lyndhurst scheme, would not necessitate the construction of a single yard of work that will not have to be done in any case, as the complete scheme progresses. . .. . Thus, to use the South Ashburton to irrigate Lyndhurst would cost nothing extra; it could not do any harm; it could only do good. The demonstration of success there would quiet much uninformed criticism from other districts, it would place on a sounder looting the finance of scores of farmers who were promised the water years ago, and it would start to pay interest to the State on the great sums of money already expended.—Yours.etc., IRivlG A i £i. August 6, 1941.