WATER FOR NEW STATION

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23743, 15 September 1942, Page 4

WATER FOR NEW STATION

HIGHBANK POWER DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER’S ASSURANCE • An assurance that, even with the lowest winter flow in the Rangitata' river, plenty of water would be available for the Highbank hydro-electric scheme was given yesterday by the District Public Works Engineer (Mr T. G. Beck). A report was made earlier in the month in “The Press” that in August thfe Rangitata river was at a very low level, probably a record, and sufficient water could not be drawn into the temporary intake for the Klondyke stock water race. “There is no possibility of any shortage; even in the hardest winter. the margin of supply will be good,” replied Mr Beck when he was asked if the shortage of water for stock purposes had caused any misgivings as to the adequacy of the water supply for electrical development. It is proposed to use water drawn from the Rangitata river for driving the turbine at Highbank, on the Rakaia river, in the winter, the summer supply of water to be used for irrigation. Mr Beck said the intake for the water race had been at Klondyke before the Public Works Department undertook its irrigation scheme. The irrigation race cut across the water race and arrangements were made for a new intake and to pump water for stock into the main irrigation race, along which the water travelled for three miles before being diverted to the old stock race. Silting-up of intakes for stock water races was frequent in the district, said. Mr Beck. Trouble had also been experienced with the intake schemes for the North and South Ashburton rivers from silting, and the experience of last month could not in any way have any relation to the major scheme of drawing off water from the Rangitata river for irrigation, in summer, and hydro-electric purposes, in winter.