RIVER SUBSIDES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 5

RIVER SUBSIDES

Floods in Hutt Valley Disappear A great contrast presented itself in the upper part of the Hutt Valley yesterday morning following the rapid subsidence overnight of the storm - which created such scenes of flood and desolation, the Hutt River having risen 10ft. to lift, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Great piles of driftwood and logs in lowlying paddocks alongside the river were the only indications of tiie path of the torrent of the previous afternoon which now in changed i form flowed a peaceful, though still i full course. The road danger point at Silverstream rail bridge had IS inches of water across it on Sunday night. Stoppage of road traffic there was avoided - by the river unexpectedly breaking through an unfinished cutting toward (lie point where workmen are now engaged in preliminary work for the new bridge to link up with the Western Hutt Road. A gang of men was engaged yesterday cutting away the roadside banks at this point of the road to allow a quick getaway for the water. For several chains shingle was spread on the road to replace that swept away by the overflowing flood waters. The Waiwetu Golf Club’s links at Whakatiki Road, Upper Hutt, were . again normal in appearance except for ; some small lakes in indented parts of J the course. The flood visitation was - amply testified to by the presence on ' Hie links of several tons of wood, in- 1 eluding many tree trunks. One requir- 1 ed the efforts of four men to shift it back into the river which had cast it . up. In 10 months the river has taken j three-quarters of an acre from the I course, and Sunday’s flood took an- < other three feet. The river drew away * from its old course 12 years ago, anil began to take a hulf-circle near the 1 northern end of the links. The club ■ wilj shortly have erected a groyne with j the idea of forming a still water alongside the northern fringe of the links. 1 protecting the links from further dam- i age and possibly assisting the river 1 to take to its former course again. ' The new groyne erected by the Hull ; River Road Board in the Hutt Gorge stood the test well, though the river did not sweep on a course to the j far etyl of it but. flowed round it and ' in again, continuing on the course near- I ••■st io the gorge road. :