Irrigation draws nearer

Press, 24 February 1978, Page 10

Irrigation draws nearer

Although the Culverden district in North Canter-

bury is currently very dry and the township was the scene this week of a meeting at which a request was made for the country between the Waipara and Conway rivers to be declared a drought area, better days lie ahead for the district. Work is proceeding on the construction of the Waiau plains irrigation scheme and the establishment of a depot in the township to service the scheme. The scheme is estimated to cost 811.3 M and to bring life-giving water eventually to 80 farms on 17,000 ha of country. The first water is due to be delivered in October next year. In the financial year to the end of March about $500,000 will be spent on the project. Work is going on at the moment on the 800 m intake race from the Waiau River near the Leslie Hills bridge, which is the source of water for the scheme, to a four hectare settling pond. This race was now about 80 per cent complete, the resident engineer of the Ministry of Works and Development in Christchurch, Mr J. O. Ballantyne, said this week. For the pond itself earthworks are now complete except for a control weir at the downstream end. The earthworks for the main race from the pond to State Highway 7 about 500 m away are also now about 90 ner cent finished. The lowering of the State Highway and Montrose Road bv three metres has also been completed. This will facilitate the installation of a culvert under the highway, and the work has provided fill for

banks for the section of the main race from the pond to the highway. Mr Ballantyne said that a contract had been let for two large culverts and another contract was also about to be let for another two culverts. Tenders have also closed for the construction of the main race running for about 5 km from the State Highway to Mouse Point, but no decision has been taken yet on this work. Work is also underway on two distribution races or laterals and these are expected to be largely completed by the end of March. The preparation of land for irrigation has started on three farm properties but this work has been temporarily halted by the dry conditions. This has to be completed and border dyking also done on another two properties in the current construction season. The establishment of a depot for the scheme in Culverden township is also proceeding. The Amuri County Council is reported to have “virtually approved” the lay-out for the depot, which has been designed by Ministry architects. Six permanent houses are in the course of construction in the township through the Housing Corporation and two are expected to be completed within a month and the others soon afterwards. Five houses for transit accommodation have been moved to Culverden from Glenavy. Mr I. A. Hunter, a senior engineer who is to be officer-in-charge of construction, was due to move to take up residence in the district this week.