THERMAL ACTIVITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21880, 16 August 1934, Page 12

THERMAL ACTIVITY

EFFECT OF LAKE LEVEL CONCERN AT ROTORUA PERMANENT RAISING SOUGHT REQUEST TO GOVERNMENT [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] ROTORUA, Wednesday "The level of Lake Rotorua has been very satisfactory this winter, and during the very wet period •it rose 18in., with the result that it has had a cleansing effect on the shores of the lake," said Mr. P. Goodson at a meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council last evening. Mr. Goodson said that the rise of the lake had had a \good effect on thermal activity, and it had been found tliat the level of the Rachel Hot Spring rose and fell with that of the lake. If the level of the lake could be kept up it would be of great benefit to the town. Since the higher level of the lake tbe Prince of Wales Feathers and the Pohutu geysers had played and there had been a lot of other thermal activity. He considered the council should make it a most urgent matter to approach the Public Works Department to ascertain what steps were being taken to maintain the present high level. The reclamation work done recently by the council on the shores of the lake would be of no avail if the lake could not be kept at a high level, Mr. Goodson continued. The water receded quickly, and at the present time was only about seven inches higher than the lowest level during last summer. He was sure that if the level could be kept high it would increase the thermal activity of Rotorua. The question was one that had been brought to the notice of the department on previous occasions and, after reaching a certain stage, nothing further was heard of it for months.

Mr. W. H. Wackrow said that the falling of the level of the lake was a serious matter from a national point of view. He thought the level could be raised at a very small cost by the dumping of a few loads of rock into the channel at the side of a small island near Okere. This would help to check the flow of water from Lake Rotorua into Lake Rotoiti, and it would save the cost of a weir at the Ohau Channel.

The Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, said the Government would not recognise the fact that the rise and fall of the level of the lake affected thermal activity, and he was in agreement with Mr. Goodson that further representations should be made.

It was decided to bring the matter again before the Government.