MARTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10528, 16 December 1912, Page 4

MARTON'S WATER SUPPLY.

THE DAM THAT BURST. The site of the new reservoir at Marton’s new water supply is now a desolate waste, and those who have had the privilege of seeing this large area filled with a sheet of glimmering water would undoubtedly receive a shock to witness it now in its nude state. The dam is practically empty and with the exception of the spring that is continually running there is no likelihood of there being any great quantity of water in the dam, as at present there is no capacity for holding it. But a start lias been made to build a temporary dam on one side of the break, and this lias been commenced under Mr Marshall’s supervision, and it is probable if the weather holds fine that it will be finished in a week’s time. The idea is to build a temporary wood and concrete wall, 7 feet high, from the face of the present dam, and take a line along the present spring for about four chains till the bank of the spring is reached. This will make a dam that will hold G, 000,000 gallons of water, which should be sufficient

to allay any fears of drought. From a casual inspection it appears that the cause of the break was that the tow wall was not made deep enough in the centre of the dam, where the spring had its bed. Under this wall there is a break about 18 inches wide and 9 inches deep, and it is evident that the water gradually worked its way under the foundations and also loosened the earthwork, with the result that the wall could not stand the pressure of the large volume of water that the reservoir held, and as a consequence something had to go—and so the wall went. The site of the break is where the concrete pipes weie laid in order to keep the dam dry while the work deconstruction was going on. The work of constructing the dam was started in January, 1911, and finished on February Bth, 1912. The holding capacity covers an area _of 18 acres, and is' capable of storing 4B million gallons of water. Direct from the nipes there is a pressure of 1261b5, and [.when put through the filters it registered 9Glbs. The dam wail at the base is 90 feet and ISfeet at the top, and is faced with 4 inches of reinforced concrete 8)4 chains long, with a slope of 1)4 to 1. There are 20,000 yards of earth in the embankment.

Messrs Wilson’s ami Laing-Measou’s reports will be submitted to the Borough Council this week, when they will be considered, and a decision arrived at as to the best possible way in which to repair the break.