DISAPPEARANCE OF LAKE

Southland Times, Issue 23498, 3 May 1938, Page 7

DISAPPEARANCE OF LAKE

FLOOD RELEASES MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER (United Press Association) NAPIER, May 2. Surveys of the area affected by the floods disclose one phenomenon after another and another now revealed is the disappearance of Te Hoe lake which was formed by the earthquake of 1931. The lake was created at the junction of the Te Hoe and Mohaka rivers about 25 miles inland from Tutira by damaging Te Hoe river when the sides of the gorge fell in as a result of the earthquake. The dam thus formed was an enormous mound and it held in check millions of gallons of water which backed up behind the dam itself some two miles.

At that time the slow rise of the waters gradually engulfed a farm property, a small plantation and a woolshed and the house which was in danger was floated to a higher level and saved.

The bursting of the dam last week released millions of gallons of water, an occurrence which is considered to explain the rapid and otherwise unaccountable rise of the Mohaka river and the destruction of the Mohaka bridge just below the railway viaduct. The disappearance of the lake has revealed again a large area on the Ngatapa Flats which was submerged when the lake was formed seven years ago.