HIGH WELL LEVELS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29622, 19 September 1961, Page 11

HIGH WELL LEVELS

Canterbury Figures

The deep well at the Canterbury Museum yesterday reached its highest level since regular measurements began in 1947, and the highest recorded level since 1896. The well reading at 6 a.m. was Bft 4.6 in above ground level. On the previous Monday morning, the level was Bft 4.1 in. The peak reading for any week is usually at this time, since the level normally falls during the working hours of each week day. recovering at night to some extent but reaching its minimum on Friday afternoons before the week-end buildup. The cause is almost certainly the draw-off by industry.

The level had not previously exceeded Bft in 14 years of continuous measure.ments. Regular readings were taken over the period 18941902 by Captain F. W. Hutton, however, and at the beginning of that period the level was often above Bft and in May, 1804, reached 10ft lin. The Geological Survey's quarterly report on well levels in Canterbury has just been completed, and the results were released by Mr G. McD. Brough. Wells immediately south of Burnham had dropped slightly over the quarter, he said, although the levels in the area had varied only very little over the last four years. At the north of Burnham, however, and around Lake Ellesmere, there had been a general rise, with an increase of 12ft at the Burnham railway station, North Of Walmakariri

North of the Waimakariri. only three wells had shown a drop—two near the Waipara bridge and one in the Culverden district. A well in Culverden township showed a 33ft rise. In the Oxford area, wells south of the Eyre river showed a marked rise over the three months, but in the township, the wells appeared to havd reached their peak levels some weeks before the quarterly check and some now showed a decline on the June figures. The remainder of the wells on the north bank of the Eyre all showed a marked increase, the levels both north and South of the river having been influenced by the long period during which there had been a flow in the bed. A well on the perched water-table at HorrelviUe showed little variation from the June readings, but that was normal for thia particular well. In South Canterbury, rises

were recorded at all the wells except three at St Andrews, Waimate, and Morven; but in each of these cases there were special circumstances. Although most of the rises were comparatively slight, a well at Otaio showed an increase of 28ft.