Five Bridge Approaches Eroded

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31262, 7 January 1967, Page 1

Five Bridge Approaches Eroded

Heavy overnight rain in the Mid-Can-terbury foothills has caused five bridge approaches in the Ashburton county to be washed away and has also threatened the hinterland of rivers in the area. Nearly 2} inches of rain fell overnight in the Ashbur-

ton Forks area where the Tramway road bridge approach was washed out on the south side. The Boyers stream bridge at Staveley was also affected when the temporary approach was washed away at 7.30 a.m. yesterday. The flooding was the worst in the area for two years, and the Ashburton river, which was bank to bank at the main road bridge, has not been as high since February, 1965. No farmlands have been affected as yet by the high flow of the rivers, but if the rain continued, said the Ashburton county engineer (Mr R. L. Lindsay), the rivers could further erode their banks, causing some danger to nearby farming areas. A temporary approach erected on the Boyers stream bridge after floodwaters had washed away a section of the bridge and its approaches in February, 1965, was again washed away. Road access in the area, however, was not affected, as a new bridge over

the stream was opened just before Christmas.

The approaches to three temporary bridges over the Hinds river were also washed

away on Thursday evening. The crossings affected were the Upper and Lower Downs roads crossings, and Austin’s crossing. Rivers Running High

away on inursaay evening. The crossings affected were the Upper and Lower Downs roads crossings, and Austin’s crossing. Rivers Running High Most rivers in the area are at least 3ft above normal. Rivers and streams fed from the foothills are higher than the main mountain-fed rivers in the area—the Rakaia and the south branch of the Ashburton river. A spokesman for the South Canterbury Catchment Board said there was no immediate danger of flooding, but if Thursday evening’s downpour were repeated a flood warning might be issued. Streets Flooded Parts of several streets in Ashburton were under water, as 1.75 inches of rain had fallen from 9 a.m. on Thursday until early last evening. Most of this rain fell on Thursday evening and early yesterday morning. No faults in power services in the district had been reported to the Ashburton Electric Power and Gas Board, and the Post Office reported that only a few telephones were out of order.

The photograph shows the washed-out approach to the Tramway road bridge.