MINOR FLOODING IN TWO RIVERS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30937, 18 December 1965, Page 1

MINOR FLOODING IN TWO RIVERS

Heavy rain in the Alps—more than 9in in 48 hours—caused minor floods in the Waimakariri and Rakaia rivers yesterday.

The Waimakariri rose during the night, reaching .its peak in the gorge, sft 6in above normal, at 7.30 a.m., according to the chief engineer of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr E. B. Dalmer). At the highway bridge the level was about 4ft above normal at 3.30 p.m, but from about 4.30 p.m. began to drop slowly. By 5 p.m., the level in the gorge had fallen 3ft. On Thursday afternoon the board advised all shingle contractors working in the Waimakariri that a fresh was coming, Mr Dalmer said. The report was confirmed yesterday morning, and all plant in the river-bed, except one dredge, was moved. The dredge, worked by Owers Brothers, was moored in its usual place in the stream. “There was no problem whatever,” said Mr J. Owers last evening. “The velocity of the water is not very high there. About another two feet, though, and

there would have been trouble." A lot of floating timber built up around the dredge, but this caused no problems either—“which was lucky,” Mr Owers added. The hut settlement at the mouth of the Rakaia river was warned early yesterday morning of the possibility of flooding. The flood, however, was only slight At the Rakaia gorge bridge the highest level was just under 15ft between „ 4 am. and 5 a.m. In the next four hours it dropped about a foot and was gradually falling last evening. Mr Dalmer said that 5.78 in of rain was measured at Arthur’s Pass in the 24 hours td 8 a.m. yesterday. In the previous 24 hours, 3}in of rain was recorded.