Port Hills erosion study?

Press, 4 August 1977, Page 18

Port Hills erosion study?

A research committee to study soil erosion on the Port Hills will be established if a recommendation to the North Canterbury Catchment Board is accepted.

The board’s soil conservation committee, has received two letter suggesting that the board help set up a research committee. The correspondents, the Christchurch Drainage Board and the City Council, were acting on a suggestion by a consulting engineer, Mr G. L. Evans, that a research group could co-ordinate investigations into erosion on the Port Hills. The soil committee will recommend to the board that It establish a research committee and that it invite all interested local bodies to its inaugural meeting. Dr W. R. Holmes said that it was the board’s responsibility to integrate the work of interested parties. It was suggested that research funds could coms from the National Roads Board.

A map of the Port Hills has been prepared showing 235 slips in three categories. Twenty per cent of the area is rated as severe-risk land on which 112 slips have occurred, 48 per cent is mod-erate-risk land, with 115 slips, and the remainder is slight-risk land, with eight slips. “Most of the slips have occurred on soils derived from loess and loess and basalt mixed,” said the report of the acting chief soil conservator (Mr J. H. Stone). A letter will be sent to the Woolston branch of ths Labour Party saying that th« Board is in no position to prevent blanket development on the Port Hills. The branch passed a motion at its July meeting calling on the Drainage Board and the Catchment Board to permit no more building on the hills until the Drainage Board could cope with stormwater run-off.

The soil committee ex pressed concern at report! that the Pest Destructioi Board was clearing land tc control opossums and ther abandoning the land, insteat of preserving the water anc soil values. The committe* took the advice of Di Holmes that a “gentlemanly liaison" be established witi the groups concerned to reo I tify the problem.