Awanui Dredging Proposal

Northern Advocate, 22 March 1937, Page 2

Awanui Dredging Proposal

A farmer whose land is about two miles on the Kaitaia side of Awanui, and which fronts the river, after having observed the stream over a long period, is quite convinced that when the dredging is completed, there will be no further trouble in working the port, unless fresh drainage works are carried out higher up, disturbing the bed and sides of the river.

A few years ago the river had so silted up opposite his farm that there was no more than about nine inches of water, but the silt has been gradually carried downstream. As no further silt is coming from above to take its place, there is now a depth of about five feet of water. The stream is, in fact, returning to its norma! state before the big drainage works were undertaken. The silting up that has taken place, this farmer considers, is pi’actically the full effect of the drainage scheme, and once the dredging has been done a repe j tition of the trouble is extremely unlikely.