TAUPO BIGGER PROBLEM FULL THAN AT LOW LEVEL

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28010, 3 July 1956, Page 12

TAUPO BIGGER PROBLEM FULL THAN AT LOW LEVEL

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 2. Now that the Waikato river is flooding at both ends, the State Hydroelectric Department has a dilemma to face. Should it let the level of Lake Taupo rise above the maximum control level of 1177 feet and so flood Tokaanu and other areas of Taupo country and face heavy compensation claims? Or should the department allow the extra water to go downstream to swell the flood waters already in the MercerRangiriri district and face possible compensation claims? A decision will have to be made

WH? n n y: H P l ob . ably at Cabinet level. Take Tannl st [f ams sti ’> P™rin ß into !; ak ? ,j p ?’ the maximum control lex el could be reached tomorrow. Io hold as much of the water as ; n ,. the la ke seems the most likely solution, even at the risk of compensation claims. This way at least, the department would be storing up extra water against seasonal short-

: °" IS to let the flood v.‘ a go downstream, the misery of !. h , e . fl o odbo und farmers in the lower Waikato will be increased, and stock and pasture losses could be heavy. In addition, the water would be wasted as far as power generation is concerned. Claims Act The Lake Taupo Compensation Claims Act. 1947. sets the “maximum oX.r’? g I 6 ™ l a ‘ J 177 feet “ Or S UOh other level as may for the time being be prescribed. s M‘ n i st e r in charge of the State Hydio-clectric Department (Mr W S C.oosman) has power under the act to the y Gaz e ettl aXlmUm leVel by notice in the maximum level, bv Gazette or not. does not take awav from claimants the right to ask for compensation. When in 1947 it was proposed to iaise the level to 1179 feet, the claims u nnT P c nsation ’ tolal led nearly u 300.000. Some £70.000 was paid Io Eurcjiiean and Maori landholders on the basis of a maximum level of 1177 feet. Water from Laf-e Taupo began washing across the Waihi main highwav and on to low-lying land near Tokaanu V«n S a ft ern oon. By 7.45 p.m.. more than 100 yards of the road were under water to a depth of two or three inches. The Tongariro river, one of the main rivers supplying the lake, was in full flood today and its waters were sweeping across many acres of swampy land. All other rivers and streams feeding the lake we r P in flood. Steady rain was still falling in the watershed tonight. The lake waters were lamping across low-iving stretches of the Taupo-Turanci State highway.