CHANGING RIVER-MOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 9

CHANGING RIVER-MOUTH.

WAIMAKARI-R-T.S HABITS.

The uneasiness, with.which Christ church regards'tho. WaimaUariri River is to some extent accounted for by. the, river's un-stablehabits'as-far'as'its bed is concerned, says the 'Press.' -Many- and. varied are. the courses- along which' the' Waimakariri has been reported to flow, and its latest departure is the finding of a fresh outlet to the sea, about a quarter of a milo from Kairaki beach. , Just after the . recent 'heavy floods, an exceptional, period of high tides 'arid heavy seas was experienced right along the coast, and in this, particular spot, where only a' few yards of sand separated' the sea from: the river, the waves broke through and the river has since transformed the spot where the waters met into a new outlet. The depth of the water at the north- spit to-day is in the vicinity-of 9ft. on the river side, but on the bar which is rapidly forming across the new mouth the depth is only a foot or so. : Tho old mouth is about two' and a-half miles from the present break in a southerly direction,. and .the outlet to this branch is reported to be rapidly closing up. Should the old mouth actually -become closed, a lagoon, some two and a-half mile in, length, will bo formed between the old and the new. outlets, this, in time becoming filled up as the river deposits its .freight' of silt and •- sand, thus, being transformed into an additional.stretch t of old river-bed. "•'. •>■•• .' '.'•.'' • . Tho' contention; at "present-is, however, that the'new outlet." of the Waimakariri is already beginning to work its way toward the south, i Since 'the* break it is already reported to have worked its way'. a. coup,le of hundred • yards . to ward; the' old mouth, and. if the' fine 'weather holds', out," it ,is considered, that it .will ' continue ■, to do gov