THE TAIERI.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 31

THE TAIERI.

NO DAMAGE OR LOSS REPORTED. The heavy and continuous rains tiiat fell over the week-end had the effect of causing extensive floods at the Taieri, and large etretchcs of the plain were comp otcly submerged during the greater portion of Monday. The immense expanses of water rescrnbled nothing so much as an inland sea, and the houses of the residents appeared like email islands scattered broadcast on the face of it. The outlook was cheerless and dreary, and the full-running watercourses of the Taieri, the Owhiro, and the Si'.verstream afforded but little consolation to the settlers. However, the thick covering of snow that was visible on tho hills surrounding the plain was looked upon as a happy augury, and, with a gradual clearing of the weather overhead, hopes became perceptibly brighter, and by nightfall there appeared little cause for further anxiety. Gordon road, tho principal thoroughfare in Mosgiel, again suffered inundation, and the centre portion was covered by water for several hours. Some of the e-mail creeks at the back of tho town overflowed, and tho water percolated through in tho vicinity of the Methodist Church and ran into the storm-water channels. 1 his occurred about 5 o’clock in the morning, but, with tho cessation of the rain, the watoi gradually cleared away, and by 9 or 10 o’clock only some large pools were left. Residents of the plain state that the weather on Sunday night was extremely bad, and that there was a perfect hurricane of wind and rain. Mr V\ alter Blackie estifates that the flood waters on the cast side of tho plain are about a foot higher than was the case* 10 days ago, while, generally, speaking, there is about the same amount of surface water lying about. More stock had to be shifted from the West Taieri side than a week ago, but in many cases settlers had not taken their cattle back to the padtlocks previously flooded, and were relieved of tho responsibility of again removing them. Mr Joseph Crane and Mr Kirk, however, had to get some of their animals out of reach of the advancing waters, tho latter finding a refuge for his flocks and herds on Mr Callender’s property. At Outram a great deal of water overflowed from the river, and for a time the position was somewhat a'anning. At one period there was 9ft of water on the road at the West Taieri bridge and sft on the railway line. The neighbourhood of Riverside was also copiously flooded. The unsound condition of tho embankment crossing the old lagoon near the transformer station gave great cause for anxiety, and it is intended to hold an indignation meeting with a view to getting tho West Taieri Drainage Board to take some definite action in regard to this bank. In tliis connection it may be as well lo mention that tho board’s engineer (Mr J. Strang) has prepared a report on the matter in which ho states that the lagoon is fed from the river and the water In the lagoon rises and falls in conjunction with the former. When the river is high numerous springs can be seen rising in tho lagoon, and as these extend over a large area tho source of the trouble is evidently not entirely local- Continuing, the report states that slips have occurred on the sides of the lagoon in consequence of tho under-strata becoming" scoured, and the Jast of those is about a chain vi length and next to the river embankment Mr Strang has not yet had' an opportunity of ascertaining the amount of work that will require to bo ikme but he states that it will he considerable.' Latest advices from Outram stated that the river wsa falling -lowly, and by 5 o’cic'k Ihwas a foot less water on the M. ■ <rie : O r.r *n; >oa:l. The appearance of snow oV surrounding hills was gladly wt-lcom- .1, : '-l many res’dents are of opinion tj )a ; j-v."- sp.iui'nWM the danger in no small degWe! as it causes the rain to freeze on the hill-tops instead of feeding the streams on the flat country. No loss of stock or serious damage to property is reported in this locality. , .. , \t Berwick there was a very heavy Mood, and tho Henlcy-Berwjck road is impassable. The river was travelling very fast at this po : nt and was carrying an unusually large volume of water. The flood was stated to be somewhat higher than the one recently, and stock had to be removed very rapidly to higher ground. Towards evening somewhat more reassuring reports were received from this locality, and no further danger was apprehended unless, of course, the ram recommenced. Residents this locality are of opinion that a lock should l>e constructed below Berwick for the purpose of keeping out tho tide this is stated to back the flood waters in the river to a very j dangerous extent. There is also a great deal of water on ! the plain around Henley and Momona and j extending some distance down past Maunga- [ tna. At Otokia there has been a considori able overflow, and the Lee Creek has also i left its banks in the neighbourhood of Mr i Patrick’s property. Mr R. Robinson’s land ! s ia s suffered severely, and some of tho residents in this locality experienced consider-

able difficulty in placing their stock in a position of safety. At 5 o’clock the railway line was clear on the Otokia and Henley side, but as the river was believed to be rising there and also at Allanton it was not certain how long it would remain so. The Silverstream, on the other hand, was stated to be receding slightly. From what we can gather the contour channel that is being constructed by the Taieri Drainage Board does not seem to be dealing very effectively with the flood water. The channel is, of course, not yet completed, and it would therefore be somewhat premature to pass an opinion on its ultimate usefulness. A further factor that probably interferes with the efficiency of the channel is that a quantity of gravel was washed down into it during the last flood at Mr John Miller’s place, and though this was being carted away by the board’s men the operation had not been completed. Further than this the channel has not a clear course for the water in its present condition, and when full it simply overflows. At Berwick the overflow from the contour channel served to back up the flood waters, and several complaints were heard from residents on this score. In the Maungatua district it also failed to take the water away.

POSITION IN THE COUNTRY. (Fuom Oue Own Cobbespondents.) AVAIKO HAITI, August 25. The rainfall registered here for the 24 hours ended 9 a.m. on Sunday was 60 points, and up till 1 p.m. to-day i. 38 points. Snow fell on the high levels, and the lowly ing lands are flooded. 'lha river did not rise as high as it did eight or nine days ago. NASEBY, August 2b. Heavy rain fell at Naseby on Sunday, and turned to snow during the night. A slight covering of snow is lying in the town, and light snow showers arc falling intermittently. HAAAEA FLAT, August 25. The recent spring-like weather has given place to a cold wintry snap. Heavy rain fell yesterday and this morning. All tho high country is covered with snow. There is no improvement, and more snow is threatening. PEMBROKE, August 22. Tho weather throughout tho week has been excellent. The frost has been keen but wholesome, and dazzling sunshine has prevailed daily. The road trom Pembroke to Cromwell, via Hawca Flat, is very good, but that via Mount Barker is unworkable. Autumn sown crons are most promising. ALEXANDRA, August 22. Heavy snow fell on the Old Man and other ranges last night, and the air to-day is raw and chilly. The rainfall during last week was 61 point's. August 25. Heavy rain fell yesterday, and the mountains are deeply covered with snow almost down to tho town. The weather is bitterly cold. LAWRENCE, August 25. Rain commenced on Saturday night, and 135 points have fallen. Rain fell all day on Sunday, and there was snow very low down on the hills this morning. The sun is trying to break through to-day. The rain gauge at 9 o’clock this morning showed 155 points, or a total of 290 points since about 10 o’clock on Saturday night. KAITANGATA, August 25. The Molyneux River is in high and at 10 a.in. to-day was about Sin off the highest point reached at the time of the big flood in March last. This has blocked the outlet of the lake canal, and tho country is rapidly 'being inundated. The position seems at the present time to bo serious for the people on tho low portions. WOODLANDS, August 25. The rainfall registered hero for the 24 hours ended 7 a.m. to-day was 143‘ points, and for the previous 24 hours 83 points. AVAIMAHAKA, August 25. The rainfall recorded from midnight on Saturday till 9 a.m. to-day was 185 points. Rain was still falling at 9 o’clock. UIPTON, August 25. The rainfall on Saturday registered 50 points, and that on Sunday 92 points. The following messages have been kindly placed at our disposal by tho Telegraph Department: Paerau reports that tho Taieri River has risen about 4ft, and is likely to rise higher still. There are about 4in of snow there, and snow is still falling slightly. It is snowing heavily up the mountains. Kokonga reports that tho river is very high and rising fast. Allanton reported at 9 a.m. that the river was high and rising steadily, and that the low lands were under water. The weather was still showery. Allanton reported at 2 p.m. us follows River very high: still rising; weather fine.” RECENT TAIERI FLOODS. DRAINAGE ENGINEER’S REPORT. A report on the floods which occurred on the Taieri Plain recently bus been prepared by Mr Jus. Strang (engineer), for submission to the Western Taieri Drainage Board, and, as will be seen, it contains a number of suggestions for improving the present conditions. Tho report reads as follows: " Owing to the heavy rain from the 15th to the 16th inst., and the subsequent flooding all over the plain, the whole of the board's works have been stopped. A record of tho rainfall supplied by Mr Melville (Mornona) shows a total fall for the three days of 5.35 in, the greatest fall being from 10 a.m. on Wednesday to 10 a.m. on Thursday, when 3in fell. “ Tho Waipori River was in particularly high flood. A break occurred in the embankment below Berwick township. This is being filled in, and as several trees on the nver side of the embankment wore evidently the cause of the backing up of tho water on to the embankbent at this point, 1 propose to have these cut down. At tho bend below Mr R. Sherman’s house the inside of the embankment was partly washed away for a short distance. The ground at this point is not fit to carry a protective embankment, and will always be a source of trouble. Instead of following tho course of tho river, it should bo itur five or six chains further inland. It would then be on better ground, and one of tho numerous binds on the river would bo done away with. In tho meantime the embankment is being repaired. Tho whole of tho unnietalled portion of the roadway alongside tho river below Berwick has been more or Ices washed out. This is tho portion of road which the board in Juno, 1912. and again in April last, agreed to raise, provided the County Council would metal it. So far no notice has been received from the council that it is ready to metal it. In tho meantime practically nothing has been done for tho upkeep of the road. The making up of

the road to its original height is consequently now a much more costly work than it would have been at the time agreed to do the work. “ Lake Tatawai overflowed tho embankment on the Henley side and on the Berwick side for practically the whole distance from the Lee Creek to tho contour outlet, flooding the whole ground between tho contour channel and Lee Creek. This water is now being run back into the lake through cuts made in the embankment. The lake overflows this embankment in a much smaller AYaipori flood than the one in question. By strengthening the embankment and raising it 12 to 18 inches a considerable saving would be made in pumping expenses, and about 800 acres would receive additional benefit and protection. ‘‘Taieri River.—A bad leak was discovered in the Taieri River embankment, at its junction with the Otokia railway bridge, while the river .was at its height on 16th inst. This was temporarily stopped, but more filling in will require to bo done to make the embankment safe at this point. I have been in communication with the District Railway Engineer, with a view to laving the neceesavv work done at once. Tho land between tipper Kirk’s road and Lea Creek is, of course, also under water. A great part of the flooding of this block could be prevented by the raising of two low stretches of Kirk's road about 12 to 18 inches.

“ Leo Creek.—There are one or two low places on the road on the north side of the creek, from Mr Robinson’s corner to Mr Sparks’s ground, which could he raised sufficiently to prevent smaller floods from getting access to the land between this and the contour channel without any danger of the Lee Crock overflowing its banks on the south side. “ The lake pump was stopped on tho 14th inst. owing to the height of the water in tho lake. It was started on the 18th inst., and has been running continuously since. The Otokia pump and the Berkley pump are also running, the latter only while the Bull Creek outlet box is closed by the tide. A 12in centrifugal pump is being fitted up on the end of B drain at Lee Creek, and I have made arrangements to have this worked by a traction engine. 1 expect to have it running on 25th inst.”