RIVER LEVEL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26124, 29 May 1950, Page 6

RIVER LEVEL

FALL EXPECTED TODAY

RAIN IN WATERSHED STOPS The worst of the flood in the Waimakariri river appeared to be over late last night. Though the river rose again yesterday morning after further rain in the catchment area, the chief engineer of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr H. W. Harris) said last evening that the river had fallen 3.2 feet at the Waimakariri Gorge bridge since the morning. He said that there had been a drop of nine ■ inches between 8 and 10 p.m. Rain ceased falling in the catchment area at Arthur’s Pass yesterday morning. Earlier Mr Harris §aid that another peak would be reached in the river about 8 p.m. and would be held till about 1 a.m. to-day when the levels would again decline. After the high flood early on Saturday morning the river dropped steadily during the day and yesterday morning flood waters had greatly receded. This was particularly noticeable on the north bank where the Main North road was clear of water. During yesterday one of (he three main breaches in the banks of the river was sealed off, but Mr Harris had to withdraw workers from the other two, where men were working up to their armpits in water. When the repair work began in the early morning there was little water coming from the breaks, but as the water rose again the position of the workers became untenable. The water spread again over the area flooded on Saturday, and also covered the Main North road. By 10.15 p.m. the waters were again receding steadily. At midnight the Main North road was dry again. Record Figures Mr Harris said that the floods followed record-breaking rains in the headwaters of the river. Between 2 a.m. on Wednesday and midday yesterday 30.5 inches was recorded at Arthur’s Pass. This fall included 2.5 inches on Thursday. 16.8 inches on Friday, and 6.2 inches on Saturday. The fall on Friday was in excess of any known records for the area for one day. The maximum known fall for a month is 50.3 inches, and the average for May is 9.70 inches. The rise of 12.6 feet in the river recorded at the gorge at 7 a.m. on Friday evening was a foot in excess of any previous- record. In a single hour on Friday afternoon the rise in the river level at the gorge was seven feet. While some settlers had to bear the burden of floods when the river breached the stopbanks. Mr Harris said it was providential that it had done so in each case within a mile of the traffic bridge. Breaks further up might have had disastrous consequences, he said, recalling that in the flood of 1868 the river had poured down Burnside road into Fendalton to a depth of four feet. The breaks, he said, had relieved the pressure in the river and on the stopbanks elsewhere. At the' peak of the flood the river had reached to within six inches of the top of the stopbanks at the main traffic bridge, he said. Mr Harris said last night that he would like to express appreciation of the services of the police, traffic inspectors, Major Elliot of the Salvation Army, to sister local bodies which had made unlimited offers of help, and to many individual farmers for their assistance.