RAISED LAKE WILL FIND OWN MARGIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 4

RAISED LAKE WILL FIND OWN MARGIN

An assurance that no wall of any kind across the flat bordering Lake Wanaka would be built to mar the beauty of this popular scenic resort was given to the Daily Times yesterday by Mr C. W. O. Turner, assistant engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department. Reiterating the proposals of his department, Mr Turner stressed that the figures given to date were only approximate, as the final plans for the dam to provide storage for the Roxburgh power station and to give control over floods were not yet complete.

“While we intend raising the level of the lake approximately six feet above its normal level for hydro-elec-tric purposes, there is no intention of building an earth wall or a concrete wail across the flat,” Mr Turner said. “ The water will find its own natural margin as it does now. In fact, the raising of the lake six feet will make little difference to the present beach.” Mr Turner emphasised again the value of having control of the lake level, both for hydro-electric purposes and for floods. The 1878 flood level was 935 feet above sea level and the normal level 921 feet. The department was working for hydro-electric purposes from the 917 to 927 feet levels. These were approximate figures and might vary a foot or so before the plans were completed. It should be realised that everything

was being done in studying the interests of the Wanaka district and its residents, Mr Turner added. The approximate levels the lake waters would reach on the flat would show that the beauty of Wanaka would not be impaired nor the township endangered. Adequate flood control would be provided by the proposed dam and sluice-gates and valuable storage given for the Roxburgh power station. The illustration, which is an aerial view of Lake Wanaka, shows by means of the dotted lines the effect the proposed raising of the lake would have on the broad flat stretching from the domain to the main .portion of the township. The level of the lake is to be raised approximately six feet above the present normal level for hydro-electric storage. The approximate line reached by the waters during the big flood of 1878 is also indicated.