SIXTH LONGEST IN 82 YEARS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 97, 20 January 1944, Page 4

SIXTH LONGEST IN 82 YEARS

Present Partial Drought 33 POINTS OF RAIN IN 46 DAYS

The partial drought in Wellington is the sixth in length of duration that has been experienced here since records were first kept 82- years ago. The nine points of rain which fell early yesterday morning were sufficient to wet the surface of gardens and bring fresh hope to sorely-tried gardeners, but the effect of the wind and yesterday’s heat will destroy most of the agricultural value of the fall. Prospects now are for a few isolated showers, , which should register a few points. The past 46 days have seen only 33 points of rain registered at Kelburh. This year accounts for 24 points of this total, and there were nine points In the last 28 days of December. A partial drought is a period of at least 29 days when the average rainfall is no more than a point a. day. An absolute drought is 15 days without any rain registered. While it may appear that longer periods than this go. by without a break in fine weathpr it is in fact unusual for more than a fortnight to pass without some few points being registered. Probably Illis occurs in hours when citizens are in the land of dreams.

The present partial drought, in Wellington is the fortieth in 82 years. The longest on record was 84 days, starting on January 29, 1867. Next in order of length have been 58 days (commencing December 18. 1927) ; 52 days (November 16, 1872) ; 51 days (January 22, 1890) ; 48 days (December 19, 1880), and the present and sixth longest of 46 days, still going strong toward getting a better place in the partial drought hall of fame. There have been 41 absolute droughts in the past 82 years, so that the two types of droughts are just about breaking even over a long period.

FALL AT CITY SUPPLY * AREAS

During the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. yesterday 40 points of rain fell at the Waihui-o-mata. reservoir, and 76 points (over three-quarters of an inch) at Orongorongo. The most important watersheds as far as the Wellington city water supply is concerned are those of the Wainui and Orongorongo streams, some 18 miles to the north-east of the city, and whenever there is a slight fall of rain in Wellington it is heavier in these watershed areas. Very little water is passing over the spillway at the Morton dam at present, and none at all is escaping from the lower dam at Wainui. The Orongorongo main is still running full bore. This main runs on gravity direct from the intake high up the Orongorongo Valley to the Karori reservoir, which acts as a distributing basin. The main is not tapped for its full length. There is still necessity for the greatest economy in the use of water, as the rain that fell yesterday morning would make little appreciable difference in. the parched areas of the city water supply areas.