STORM WATER DRAINAGE

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 12, 14 August 1930, Page 3

STORM WATER DRAINAGE

DISCHARGE IN RIVER

At the, last meeting of .-the ■ River Board the Hut t Borough Engineer (Mr A. G. Bush) wrote directing the Board's attention to the fact that the function of the river was-to Grain the country" through which it flows and' it wenld appear reasonable that no objection should be raised to discuss discharging into the river, providing the safety of the stopbank was not jeopardised. All council drains so discharging are inspected, and maintained by borough employees und the Works Committee, therefore, objects to the proposed charge by the River Board for this purpose, and asks the board to reconsider the matter with a'view of waiving the proposed maintenance charge. ... . The Board decided to reply stating that while the river is the natural outlet for most of the storm water oaainage of the borough it is not the function, of the board, but that of the borough to provide for the efficient drainagetof the borough. So far the River Board has undertaken the work of-attending to the drainage outfalls in time of flood and: is prepared to continue such work, but it is unreasonable that this should be done without some cost to the council. TJader the River Boards' Act there is a special provision that in the. case of counties, drainage works may be undertaken, by the Board on certain conditions including a provision for a contribution cmt of tlie county funds. While there is no such provision in regard to a borough council, yet the board is empowered to join with any local authority for the execution of any work that may bebenefieial to the ratepayers of the district under an arrangement providing for the apportionment of the cost. The board is prepared to enter into some such arrangement with the council and will in the meantime carry out the work of supervising the outfalls. The board is of opinion that an arrangement on the lines suggested- will prevent any confusion

that would arise under a system by which the board's employees would attend to certain drains and the council's to others. ENGINEER'S REPORT The Board's Engineer (Mr H: Sladden) reported that a comprehensive inspection covering. two,days, had recently been made when generally everything was found to be fully satisfactory. Log clearing at the'head of Clendon's paddock has been carried out. About 500 . totara fence posts .were procured' from logs cleared at Kingdon's beach *and in this, place. One hundred and forty-four of these were used for fences at Pluses' at Silverstream and all battens necessary were ig. addition cut from the. . It is interesting to note that the many miles of fencing that have been built and maintained during the las.t 26 years have, with the exception of about 500 posts, been erected with posts cut by the .board's staff from logs recovered from I the river" bed.

The localities that are demanding most attention and constant watching are the Page, Mitehell, R.outley reach, and Giesen-Walker Island reach, i and the big bend Golf Links JEfcailway. The last of these has not as yet been dealt with to any extent by the Board, for the reason that the channel regulation in this must await the development of the reaches higher up the river.

Below Railway Bridge, Right Bank (Gear Island). —The recent southerly gale has to some extent damaged willow protection and caused small erosion down stream from it. Repairs are being attended to.

South End of Gear Island. Bitumen Plant Area and Estuary.-^-All is satisfactory particularly the estuary channel. It is not yet been ascertained what the effect of tlie recent severe southerly storm lias been at the mouth, of the river, but .probably the bar.has to some extent silted. The "Waiwetu diversion cut continues to function splendidly. This and the dredged channel up to Awamutu Stream, were favpurably commented on during- a recent inspection by depart-

mental engineers in connection with a joint report being prepared on the Awamutu Drainage conditions.

The bar under the new bridge at Seaview Road is being further loosened in order that it may scour to the level of the dredged channel the bend leading into the diversion " cut is being imijroved. It is satisfactory to note that so far no bar has formed at the outfall of the diversion cut but the dredged L channel into the Hutt River appears to be fully maintained by scour. Now that the diversion cut is capable of carrying the Wnhvetn some Manuka obstructions ! will be erected to " prevent outflow through the channel where the temporary timber training wall is in a partial state of collapse.