WAITAKI DAM RUMOURS

Evening Star, Issue 22382, 4 July 1936, Page 21

WAITAKI DAM RUMOURS

HO SERIOUS LEAKAGE [Per United Press Association.] , WELLINGTON, June 3. A denial that there was any serious leakage from the dam at the Waitaki hydro-electric works was given by the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, when commenting in an interview this evening on statements which have been circulating in Canterbury and Otago that all is not well with tne huge dam at Waitaki; The Minister made a statement reviewing the situation which arose when three of the temporary sluice gates in the dam failed to close securely, and the efforts which have bfecn made since to close them. These efforts have extended over a period of 13 months. "1 have seen statements that all is not well with the dam,” said Mr Semple, 11 and 1 want to say that there is no question of leakage under or below the dam, ns has been suggested. The position Is that 11 temporary sluices were left open, through the concrete at the river level on the Canterbury side of the dam, while the Otago section was being concreted. Eight of these were successfully closed just before the river rose to summer ley el towards the end of 1934, and six of them were completely filled with concrete before the amount of water coming over the top prevented further work being done that season. The attempt then made to close the final three gates was not completely successful in that these gates were lowered too far and allowed a leakage through into the temporary sluiceways below. To restrict the amount of leakage through these, concrete and material from the river bed and the hillside were tipped into the dam above the gates and preparations were made for closing the sluiceways by other means. During the low water period last year another sluiceway was successfully closed, and those which, although closed, had not been filled with concrete, were then filled. “ There aro still two gates to com- x plete, and arrangements are now in hand to close these during the lower water period which has now started,” said the Minister “ This is a difficult. job, but my engineers have advised me that they anticipate being Tible to complete ;t before the river again rises to summer level. This work need not interfere in any way with the normal supply to the various consumers of the department.