NEW DAM IS SLOWLY FILLING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22617, 21 April 1948, Page 4

NEW DAM IS SLOWLY FILLING

“A recently completed survey of the storage pond behind the new Mangapoike dam shows that the storage area is greater than had been anticipated,” stated the report of the engineer, Mr. C. M. Beaumont, at last night’s meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council. The calculated capacity of the pond is 246.6 million gallons, whereas the preliminary estimate was 211 million gallons. The engineer reported that the height of the pond on Saturday was 9.9 ft., but owing to the heavy rain over the weekend it had probably risen another foot. The total height of the dam is 38ft. Although the water was 30 per cent, high, the dam as yet was only 10 per cent, full, said the engineer. Last year the vegetation, up to a height of 16ft. had been killed. It was this vegetation which caused the unpleasant taste in the water. There was a good deal of grass and vegetation between the 16ft. and 38ft. marks, but the engineer considered that if the pond could be filled and lett for some months the water would be drinkable. The Mayor, Mr. N. H. Bull, said he had communicated with the Fisheries Department asking whether fish could be placed in the dam. The engineer said that fish helped to clean up the impurities in the water.