DAMMING THE KAWARAU.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3136, 25 September 1922, Page 5

DAMMING THE KAWARAU.

—Success Assured. — A representative of this paper ' visited the site of the Cromwell Development Co's works in the Kawarau Gorge on Thursday last. He was courteously received by the engineer in charge of the work ,(Mr E- J. lies) and shown over the whole plant. It is now of course a matter of history, that the attempt to raise the water in the river by dropping concrete pillars was a dismal failure, and also that further attempts to do so by putting in rocks and concrete was likewise both costly and unsuccessful. The company was in a most unfortunate position. They had a splendid powerhouse containing two turbines of 650 h< p. each, and pumps with a lifting capacity of 60 heads; all the necessary piping erected; a race big enough to carry 1,000 heads of water erected to the intake — but no water. All this must have cost a mint of money, but it looked like being wastedThe Coy. however, were fortunate enough in securing the services of Mr E. J. lies, whom we are pleased to say, has not only solved the problem of permanently raising the river, but has carried out the work in a. remarkably short space of time. All the old dredge ladders available in the district have been used to bridge the stream, these being strongly supported with reinforced concrete. The massive structure, that looks strong enough to stand any possible flood, contains no less than three thousand tons of materialAnother week will probably see the work finished- All that remains to be done being to put in a grill of dredge ladders to block the narrow opening—about 30ft, to which the river is now confined- The general opinion, and it is one that we certainly support, is that the work is a permanent one. Mr lies is to be heartily congratulated on the success of an undertaking which should, and doubtless will, be a great factor in the development and prosperity of the district.