Irrigation potential’ of Rakaia

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33219, 8 May 1973, Page 20

Irrigation potential’ of Rakaia

The Rakaia River had much more interesting possibilities as a source for irrigation than the Waimakariri and also had possibilities for storage that the Waimakariri did not, the Under-Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Barclay), told an irrigation seminar at Darfleld last week. Lake Coleridge’s surface | area of 9000 acres meant that for every foot of depth it had enough water for a full seaton’s irrigation of about 5000 acres, he said. At present the Coleridge i power station ran with a 13ft. range of water-levels, so the station could be used by the Electricity Department in such a way that it controlled the release from storage of enough water for irrigating at least 50,000 acres. If the waters of the Wilber- , force River were diverted I into the lake, the mean flow {through the power station I could be doubled and probably the effectiveness of the present lake storage would' {also be doubled. i Other possibilities might include the eventual redeveliopment of the station to tnj crease its effectiveness as a .tool for water management. But these matters would require much detailed study: and public discussion, and finally the decisions would have to be made by the Rejgional Water Board and the I National Water and Soil Con-1 servation Authority. I

Answering a question, Mr ! Barclay said that Lake Heron might also be fed into tne Rangitata diversion race, providing additional water for irrigation in Mid-Canterbury.