FILLING ARAPUNI LAKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21142, 28 March 1932, Page 10

FILLING ARAPUNI LAKE.

'SATISFACTORY PROGRESS. EFFECT ON RIVER LEVEL, ) SITUATION AT HAMILTON. TROUT BECOME EASY PREY. [FROJt OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON", Sunday. The filling'of tho Arapuni Lake is proceeding satisfactorily and the operations In hand preparatory to starting the generating plant have been carried out without a hitch. From midnight last night until eight o'clock this morning i*ator at the rate of 5000 cusccs was released through the diversion tunnel to augment Hamilton's .Water supply. Tho river level at Hamilton, which had dropped sft., roso to within 3ft. of its normal depth. The tunnel gates were lowered to-day and 1400 cusecs of water are now being released, making the river level 3ft. lOin. below normal at Hamilton. 'One pump is operating at the Hamilton water-supply station and sufficient water is being drawn from ihe river to meet requirements.

At Arapuni the lake is gradually developing, tho river having backed up for n. distance of 10 miles. At tho dam the ]ako is Soft, in depth aiid another 46ft. is required for tho'water to flow into tho headraco and over tho falls. It is expected that the dam will be filled by Wednesday. Heavy rain which fell last night expedited tho filling of the lake. . Since tho lowering of the river level many pools have been found among tho rocks upstream from Cambridge, and the river has been confined to narrow channels, through which it passes with great velocity. Tho pools - are teeming with trout Which are easy prey to anyone wishing to catch them. The piles of tho wharves at Cambridgo and Hamilton are completely out of water. Boys aro hav-ing-good sport chasing eels on the mudbanks at To Kapa. The water at Huntly has taken a narrow channel, leaving the remainder of the river-bed dry. Tho paddle-steamer Manuwai was proceeding upstream yesterday with a load of merchandise, but could go no further than Kangiriri, where her cargo Was landed and will bo transported to Hamilton by motor-lorry.

Further downstream at Mercer the river has a normal appearance owing to the evenness of the river-bed. However there is very little depth. . KING'S WHARF STATION. NO DIFFICULTY EXPERIENCED. No difficulty has been, experienced at the King's Wharf power station since it commenced carrying the full load of between 11.000 and 12,000 kw. from Horahora. The peak load yesterday was about 27,000 kw., well below the load of about 58,000 kw., which is expected when business resumes after the holidays. t No trouble is anticipated at the King s 'jWharf station, although there, will probably be a narrow margin at peak periods, as, particularly on dark nights, the traction, domestic and street lighting demands frequently over-lap.