AERIAL SURVEY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 601, 3 November 1932, Page 15

AERIAL SURVEY.

Proposal by Waimakariri River Trust. An aerial survey of the 961 square miles of back-country which represents the catchment area of the Waimakariri Rifer may be undertaken. The Waimakariri River Trust, which already has had an aerial survey of the lower reaches of the river, decided yesterday afternoon to inquire whether the Forestry Department and the Lands Department would bear a portion of the cost of the larger survey. The matter was left in the hands of Sir Francis Boys, Professor R. Speight and the trust’s engineer (Mr H. W. Harris), who will report to the next meeting of the trust. The subject came before the meeting of the trust through & letter from the Christchurch Public Utilities Committee, which asked that in view of the possibility of flooding in the Waimakariri, the trust should investigate the extent of denudation in the catchment

area. The extent of vegetable cover was stated to be only 17.3 per cent of the catchment, and that percentage may _ have been much reduced by indiscriminate timber-cutting and bush fires. The survey could be most economically and expeditously carried out by aeroplane. Vegetable cover should be increased by judicious afforestation and data concerning evaporation obtained. It was only logical that the River Trust should have control over the catchment areas, not only from the point of view of flood control, but also for water supply* for domestic consumption, irrigation and hydro-electric purposes.

It was stated by the engineer that the catchment area was of 608.640 acres, and, except for the areas below Kowai Bush, was Crown land, consisting of pastoral runs and education reserves.