MOTU RIVER STUDIES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30110, 19 April 1963, Page 11

MOTU RIVER STUDIES

Hydro-Electric Sites (N.Z. Preu Auociation) GISBORNE, April 18. Six years of investigations by Ministry of Works engineers into the suitability of the Motu river for hydroelectric development will end this month. It is expected that the final surveys at the Mangaotane camp will be then completed. The section of the Motu river in the vicinity of the Mangaotane stream, which is about 40 miles from the river mouth, is the last of the four areas to be surveyed. The Ministry investigated the four Motu river sites. Houpoto, Mangatutara. Mangaotane and Waitangirua.

The cost has been estimated conservatively at £500.000 One of the major factors of cost has been the building of access roads to the sites to be investigated. One’ site. Mangatutara, was reached by helicopter at a cost of about £45 a flying-hour. The major investigations were near the mouth of the river at Houpoto, where three possible dam sites were explored. Of these the one furthest upstream appears to be the most suitable

The senior engineer in charge of the "investigations. Mr R. B. Alley, who has been on the job for six years, said it was estimated that the flood potential of the Motu river was greater than that of the Waikato.