LONG DRY SPELL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 78, 3 April 1939, Page 13

LONG DRY SPELL

WAiKATO RIVER LOW

NAVIGATION HAZARDS

Owing to the long spell of dryweather and the requirements at Arapuni the level of the Waikato River downstream from Hamilton has been exceptionally low for. some weeks, states a correspondent in the "New Zealand Herald" of today. The river has a daily ebb and flow of 18in, while during the weekend the level drops as much as 3ft owing to the operations at Arapuhi.

In addition, the dry spell has affected the level by at least sft. One consequence has been to lay bare large tracts of land between Horotiu and Mercer that are usually covered, and to make navigation extremely difficult. Many detours have to be made by the river boats in keeping to a narrow channel, and delays are often caused by the vessels grounding and having to be towed or hauled off.

The large paddle steamer Rawhiti left Port Waikato on Tuesday with 175,000 ft of white pine brought up by coastal steamer from the west coast for the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, and the vessel did not arrive at Hamilton until Friday. The consignment was the largest load of timber ever brought up the river. The trip occupied over twice the time usually taken, and the services of a tug-boat had to be requisitioned to 'keep her off the sand banks.

Old residents have not seen the Waikatb River so low as it js at present since the Arapuni dam was first filled and almost completely stopped the flow a£. -Uae river.