Digging once again at Lake Benmore

Press, 1 September 1977, Page 13

Digging once again at Lake Benmore

Boat harbours at Lake Benmore have been deepened, and launching ramps extended, to cope with the presetn low lake level.

However, the changes would not have been sufficient to cope with the lowest level the lake has reached this year. The work was done by the Ministry of Works and Development, at the request of the Electricity Department. The estimated cost is $70,000. Earlier this year, the level of Lake Benmore was so low that the tops of previously submerged willow trees appeared above the surface in the middle of the lake. The Sailors Cutting boat harbour was high and dry, the jetty standing on dry’ land.

Deepening this harbour, by up to two metres, will not make it usable under extreme conditions, but will allow boats to be launched when the lake is two metres below its normal full level. The ramp has been extended 14 m. It cost about $30,000 to deepen Sailors Cutting, in the Ahuriri arm of the lake, and another $5OOO was spent extending the launching ramps at Falston, at the top of the lake.

About $35,000 will be spent improving the Haldon boat harbour, on the east of the lake, when the Tekapo River drops sufficiently to allow heavy machinery to cross the riverbed.