ARAPUNI FULL TO-MORROW

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1932, Page 9

ARAPUNI FULL TO-MORROW

RIVER BACKED UP TEN MILES FORTY-SIX FEET MORE NEEDED. * ’ HAMILTON’S SJUPtBLY ARRANGED. TROUT CROWD ISOLATED POOLS. s?y Telegraph.—Press Association. ' Hamilton, March 28. The filling of the lake at Arapuni is proceeding satisfactorily. Operations preparatory to starting the generating plant were' carried out without a hitch. From midnight on Saturday until 8 o’clock on Sunday morning water at the 'rate' of 5000 cusecs was released through the diversion tunnel to augment the Hamilton water supply. The river level here, which- had dropped oft., rose to within 3ft. of its normal depth. The tunnel -gates were lowered yesterday and, 1400 cusecs of water are now being released, making the river level 3-ft. TQin. below normal. At the pumping station sufficient water is being drawn from the river to meet holiday requirements.

At Arapuni the lake is gradually developing, the fiver having backed'up for ten miles. At the dam the lake is 83ft. in depth. Another 46ft. is required for the water to flow into the headrace and over the falls. It is expected that the dam-will be filled by Wednesdays heavy rain having expedited the filling. / 1 ■ ■' ■ Since the lowering of the river level many pools were found among rocks up stream from Cambridge and the river is confined to narrow channels. The pools are teeming with trout which are an easy prey to anyone wishing to catch them.

Difficulty is being experienced at Hamilton with keeping up the supply of domestic water owing to residents’ disregarding the appeal for economy. Unless the water in .the borough is conserved it will be necessary to ask for more water from Arapuni, in which case operations there will be delayed.