NEW DAM AT KARORI.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 6

NEW DAM AT KARORI.

COMPLETION OF THE WORK,

A 60,000,000 GALLON "CUP."

' Tho new storage : dam across the gully above tho old reservoir at-Karori is practically completed. There only remains, according to tho .City Engineer,, a ing-up'work to be done on the site before : the work : is formally handed over hy the contractors, Messrs. Mitchell and King., For the, purpose intended tho work is completed, and; ■ Wellington is now' in' possession of a dam capable,of holding 60,000,000.gallons'of water, which is- the largest "cup" the city possesses, the old, Karori - basin's., capacity being 46,000,000,} and that. at. TVainui only about 20,000,000 gallons.' These 1 figures show that with, all thrco dams Tilled-to theircapacity. 126,000,000 gallons would ,be held in storage—about 40 days' supply, for tho city,, reckoning the daily .consumption at' 3,200,00 0: gallons.' - ■ -

_ .At present,- however, .the old Karori basin' is very low, and the new. dam is'holdihg.about 12,000,000 gallons of water that is to a certain extent 'impregnated .with tho-decaying, vegetation of the new resorvoir area.

Tho .work of crccting the' new dam has occupied about' fourteen months, ibut :a'good, deal of time was occupiod at,tho .commencement in getting some £300 worth of machinery plant into position, laying down about three-quarters of , a milo of- tramway, finding a " quarry, 'of suitable ,motal for tho . concrete,, and -other .preliminary work. The. work, .which , has been carried ,out to .the satisfaction of everyone concerned, was ■ done on modern lines,' and with gear that would have' served' for a work' three or four times as big. Indeed, the gear used.was the very best; no chances were taken by. the contractor, and the' -contract" has beon carried out without.-.serious accident .in ■ a brisk, workmanlike manner thatrhas impressed everyone who .has visited the site during the progress of the work'!-Tho daim, which contains 16,000. yards of concreto (which includes 12,000' casks of cement), is 80 feet in height, ■48 - feet 35 inches. at" the baso,. lossenipg to's'feet at: the top. ■ The sweep of tile ; great .wall describes a section ■of an arc, and it presents a perpendicular face to the wall, with all the slope on the dry side. ' IJhe. value ofythe acquisition -of such.,a storage dam at a juncture like' the;'present cannot be overestimated.' AH that is needed is:.the rain to! fill . -