BUILT IN SOLID FOUNDATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19941, 27 October 1934, Page 7

BUILT IN SOLID FOUNDATION

LOOKING BACK SIX YEARS Careful Survey Work More than six years ago, the Government’s engineers invaded Awakino Valley and made a survey of the surroundings, Mr F. T. M. Kissil (chief electrical engineer of the Department being greatly impressed with the possibilities of the site.. The first arrivals were housed in tents. Big punts were anchored in the river. From these were driven bores in the river bed, deep down below the gravel and well into the solid rock bed, in order to ascertain whether the rock would form a suitable base for the massive structure that, even at that early stage, had been envisioned. Some months elapsed before these tests were completed and, resulting from them, is the present curved shape of the big dam, that curve being found necessary in order to have the very solidest foundation. Also, the conformation of the ground on either side.of the river was eminently suitable. From the aspect of economy the site was favoured owing to the short distance for the transport of material, and also for the transmission of power to the main arterial lines of the island. A New Road Another big part of the preparatory work was the building of a road along the upper plateau to take the place of the old road, which will be submerged by the lake which the dam will form. The road is three miles long. At that time the whole camp extended for only a few chains along the old road, with only a few hutments on the hillside. Now, Waitaki Hydro , although many of the hutments and sheds on the lower level have been removed and will soon all be removed, extends for well over half a mile and there are rows upon rows of small dwellings on both sides of the new road on the plateau above, including handsome stone residences for use of the permanent officers who will be stationed at the Hydro after the construction engineers and staff and the workmen have gone.