Lake Ellesmere Outlet Discussed By League

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32308, 28 May 1970, Page 16

Lake Ellesmere Outlet Discussed By League

It had never been the Canterbury Progress League’s proposal to drain lake Ellesmere, but too stabilise it to prevent flooding of valuable farmlands, the leagues’ chairman (Mr P. F. Maples) said last evening.

Some persons seemed to, have the impression that the] league was in favour of draining the lake, but this was not] so. In a report to the meeting] of the league, Mr G. B. Powell suggested that a concrete! tunnel should be placed at] the opening of the lake to I the sea in an anchored posi-i tion so as to allow the normal' ebb and flow of tidal water, to permit the lake to reach] an acceptable permanent] level. The present system of bull-s dozing shingle to create a channel to the sea was a losing battle, as the sea immediately began to pound in through the outlet into the lowered lake, bringing the shingle back in to block the channel. Sometimes this hap !

pened in a matter of days. Mr Powell said that in the early years of the century, an engineer named Pannett built a timber tunnel which stayed open for 10 or more years. ! If this was done with a concreted tunnel through the ! shingle bank the cost should (not be excessive, and would (be infinitely better than the (present practice of moving the thousands of tons of shingle that tbe sea brought into [the existing outlet several

■times a year. . Dr I. D. Blair, who is a | member of the North Can terbury Acclimatisation So ciety, said it would be an irreparable disaster to the wonderful resource of Lake Ellesmere if any permanent or semi-permanent opening I was made. 1 There was an intensive (campaign being carried out lat present for the retention of Lake Ellesmere in its present form. Draining would be the consequence of any per manent opening and people >did not want this. Mr Maples said there was no question of draining the Jake: but setting the level a little lower to make control a little easier with a controlled outlet. "Dr Blair made a recommen dation that the irrigation, forestry and land develop i ment committee of the league (discuss the matter further, jwith a view that the league find that a permanent outlet to the sea would be contrary to the interests of all concerned.