THE BUTCHER'S GULLY DAM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22905, 12 June 1936, Page 4

THE BUTCHER'S GULLY DAM

Much has been done in recent years for the advancement of irrigation in Central Otago. The fertility of the soil in the district is a proven fact, but many hundreds of acres still lie waste through the absence of water. With the purpose of overcoming this deficiency and magically turning barren wildernesses into fertile "Edens. numerous dams for water conservation have been erected and miles of races have been conducted round rocky faces or syphoned across gullies for the use of the settler. Nearly every valley and gorge has its stream more or'less permanently snow fed from the higher levels, and it is merely_ a question of choosing a suitable site comclose to the area to be irrigated. Such schemes as the Manorburn lam, Manuherikia River, Ardgour, Convoy's dam and the Last Chance are wellknown successes, and nearly every treani is tapped direct by racas. The most recent work of this nature . the Butcher's Gully dam, some four miles from Alexandra on the Roxburgh road. It is now approaching completion. The wall is to be about 80 feet high, and will form a lake over a mile long and of greatly varying width. A tunnel 300 yards long is being driven through Butcher's Hill, and down this the overflow will oe led to increase the Alexandra water supply and to meet irrigation purposes en route. In this new Butcher's Gully danythe water will submerge the lower level* of Lye Bow's old orchard, as well us the site of extensive d r ggings and sluicing areas alongside. Another old landmark to go vvill be the onetime But cher's Gully Hotel, which will be under many feet of water. Once a centre of activity and life in the 'sixties when roystering miners gathered and wagoner.* drew up. it now stands in a state of partial demolition, a last sad link with ihose prosperous and mad gold rush davs. Work is also being earned out in the formation of a higher level road from the foot of Carroll's cutting to the Butcher's Gully Hill, as the old intervening road will be inundated. The dam. when filled, will be stocked with trout, and it is understood that trees are to be planted round its edges, *o that, with its background of the 0000foot Old Man Range and the nearer roekv slopes, it will become one of the beat.'tv spots in Central Otago, and will he one of the most serviceable and necessary storage reserves for the district.