A FLOOD CHANNEL.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 236, 17 January 1879, Page 6

A FLOOD CHANNEL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — In the last issue of the Leader in your report of a meeting at Stirling, ou the Cth inst. , re banking- the river to prevent flooding, Aye arc led to believe that the only plans before the meeting were to bank the present course of the river by subscription, or to bring the district under the Marlborough Rivers Act, same as Inch Clutha. I may mention, however, several parties at the meeting, in course of conversation, expressed themselves to the effect that the residents of the Clutha Valley below Balclutha, should unitedly go in for a flood or storm channel from the lower gap at Willocks's in a straight line down the middle of Inch Clutha to the new outlet at the spit. In my opinion, the aspect of this valley, and especially Inch Clutha, being so changed since the recent flooding, banking operations and assisting the flow of Avater points to a flood channel. The Government protection works going on at present above Balclutha, will, Avhen the river rises, tend to send all the extra Aoav of water through the raihvay bridge, and consequently straight clown the Matau branch. Should a flood channel be made, whenever the river rises to a certain height it would floAv cloAvn the proposed channel, Avhich channel being straight and wide, ,at least say 5 chains inside of banks, with strong banks, would admit of an incredibly large amount of flood Avater to get at once to the sea. Of course. |f rom the head of the Matau branch it would require heavy banking on each side down to fche flood channel, but I should say there should be no banking beloAV that point on either side. Supposing the gaps in the river bank to be stopped, as they will be soon, and Inch Clutha Board of Conservators bank all the way down the Matau, and the main land be brought under the Marlborough Rivers Act, and go in for opposition banking all round these bends, this ivould be simply money thrown away unless the banks Avere protected by some material that would not wash aivay. What is Avanted is to let the water flow freely and not damn ifc up at these quick bends. The one way of banking, viz., the circuitous, would tend to keep the Aoav of Avatei* as high as possible, and in the event of a high flood, ivould endanger life as ivell as property. The other Avay of-; banking, viz., banking to form the proposed straight flood channel clown the centre of the Island (where the material would be more adapted for making banks) would divert the flow of water at the loAvest possible level. This Avould also drain the Island and enable the settlers to take full advantage of the extra fall for drainage by way of this gigantic outlet at the spit. As for the mainland, this new outlet, to a great extent, has solved the; drainage of Kaitangata Lake by gravitation, should the flood channel scheme be; carried out, and should it not be carried

out (wifch' the extra water that, would go down the Matau), the lakes would be left " just about whore they aro as regards drainage, &c. We. owe tho extra richness of the soil in this vail -y to the river, and I repeat, let Lhe • prop vie t .*.-.s of Ljnd a?*; 3 , ih-j <-eb':ldrs unite .in helpin:: i-he river to iiow to the ocean as speedily as possible. To commence — let us apply to Government for an Engineer to survey and report on the practicability, the cost, and fche amount of water that would flow (when required) through this proposed channel compared to the circuitous Matau. I would further suggest that the Clutha River Trust (as there is comparatively little water now going down the Kuoa)' put out into the river where the Matau and Kuoa divide, a groin or something to give the Kuoa its compliment of water, when the river is at its ordinary level, ancl thus improve the navigation. Trusting you will find room for these* suggestious. — I am, &c, • Observer.