Tongariro and Wanganui River Power Plans

Forest and Bird, Issue 153, 1 August 1964, Page 2

Tongariro and Wanganui River Power Plans

Mr. Peter Mclntrye, the well known artist, has performed a service to nature conservation by focussing attention on what might happen as a result of plans to build power plants in the Tongariro area, the latter apparently involving a number of different interests. The Taumarunui civic fathers fear that the diversion of the waters of the upper Wanganui River will, harmfully affect the borough. Angling organisations are apprehensive about the outstanding fishing sport found in the Tongariro. Lower Waikato communities and farming interests are more than a little concerned because, already having suffered from floods, they fear the addition of more water will aggravate their troubles. Yet others wonder whether the Tongariro pumice country is sufficiently stable to warrant the construction of the works envisaged, while others again see in the plans a threat to the national park.

An officer of the Ministry of Works was good enough to attend meetings of our Wanganui and Wellington Branches so as to give members a correct idea about the proposals. Apparently the scheme was first investigated seriously in 1955. Tentative plans were available by the end of 1956, when Fisheries and other interested official bodies were asked to comment on them. It is emphasised that the plans have been approved in principle only; no working or operational plans have yet been authorised. The official view is that there is no worry about the stability of the country, that fishing will not be affected to any material extent, that there will still be quite a considerable flow of water down the river at Taumarunui, that no flood water from the Wanganui will be diverted into the Waikato, and that the addition of the extra waters will raise the Waikato levels not more than about four inches. Only a very tiny corner of the Tongariro National Park comes into the operational area. From the Society’s point of view, practically no bush or bird habitat is involved in the Tongariro plans. There is a small patch of beech bush which we are assured will not be damaged to any permanent extent. Discussions are yet to take place between the other interests concerned and the Department (at the time of going to press).

We are far more concerned about the proposed Wanganui River high-dam scheme, although as yet no definite plans have been approved or even produced; but the idea generally is to construct a four-hundred-foot dam at about Atene, which would back the w r ater up to about Te Maire, roughly a hundred miles up the river. All the world-famous river scenes would be submerged, the rapids so esteemed by canoeists would be lost, fish cover and food in the streams and river would be ruined, and considerable bush and bird habitat would disappear for ever under the water.

It is unfair to castigate departmental officers for these proposals, for their duty is to make plans to produce the electricity the country needs, a tremendous demand, increasing by nearly two hundred megawatts per annum (by the early 1970 s two hundred thousand kilowatts). It takes about seven years to plan and construct a new power scheme, and of course the power must be produced at a price acceptable to the consumer and at one which will permit industry to operate on a competitive basis. It will be seen, therefore, that the engineers are faced with formidable obstacles. Moreover, there is no doubt that a considerable section of Wanganui folk believe the dam would be a beneficial thing for their city, and they will be disappointed if it is not approved. It is argued that a hundred-mile lake would make - great boating water, and would also open up areas at present inaccessible.

Notwithstanding all this, it is likely that in the forseeable future new methods of producing power at a competitive cost will be available; but once the dam is built and the levels raised, the enchanting river scenery will have gone, destroyed for ever, lost not only to this generation but to all generatons in the future. A decision to utterly and permanently destroy so much beauty should not be made until it is clear there is no alternative. This brings our thoughts back to Manapouri. For a brief spell the incomparable beauty of that lake is safe. A great deal of power will be available from the works under construction, but inevitably the day will come when a decision has to be made whether or not the lakes levels are to be raised so as to obtain the extra pow’er possible by that means. It will be a political decision; the engineers can only recommend; Parliament makes the decision. We hope that when the time comes those whose interest in nature conservation has been aroused by Mr. Mclntyre will make it clear to their representatives in Parliament that their wish is that the peerless lakes in the south shall not be sacrificed to the extra kilowatts obtainable by their irrevocable destruction.