DRAINAGE OF LAKE ELLESMERE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 593, 21 March 1882, Page 2

DRAINAGE OF LAKE ELLESMERE.

To the Editor.

Sir,—Your correspondent, " One ot the Committee." seems to think that because L;dc Ellesmere is at the present lime almost as salt as the ocean, and Lake Forsyth is nearly fresh, that that alone would seem to decide how the two lakes are supplied. Pie will admit that when they are le tout, and the flea haßfree access

in and out, that Lake Forsyth, being only about one fiftieth part of "the size of Lake Edesmere, would naturally be much salter than the other for a short time, as it usually closes in a day or two pretty near up to high tide, and the shingle, hank is rapidly formed, so that the sea has no further power, except keeping the bank, and the accumulation of the fresh water soon reduces the then salt, lake into a practically fresh one. The shingle hank at Lake Forsyth is no broader than tbe one at Lake Ellesmere, proving that there is no connection with the sea above high tide, and in very fine weather and no rain fall, it will run down to near half tide, much lower than it is now. The reason Lake Ellesmere is principally salt water, or very much impregnated, is because it is now seven or eight months since it wallet out, and for a great part of that time has been open to the flow of tbe tide, and also subject to the sea whilst the bank has been forming between half and full tide. When that is reached it is soon topped up and it is of small moment what sea comes in after that. The three feet rise of Lake Ellesmere, mentioned by your correspondent as taking place since the lake was let out, is the difference between half and full tide, or not quite, as the lake at that time, and before any bank is ever formed, runs down to mid tide. I confirm what I have said before, and maintain that the lake will now have to mainly look to the watershed (which is 800 square miles instead of 600 or 700 square miles) for its supplies, to whatever height it is allowed to rise before being let out. 1 am sorry to see that your correspondent should at once come to the conclusion that if the Government do not make a special grant for the purpose, he should object to the Council spending any of its funds on that work, but that the Little River Road Board and its ratepayers should be allowed to do so, which I think would be most unfair, as the flooding of these lakes is a very costly item in maintaining and keeping in repairs the main Christchurch and Akaroa road. It is a matter for the two County Councils (Akaroa and Selwyn) to decide upon, and 1 hope there will be no hitch in the question when it is under discussion between them. A great part of the watershed lies in the Selwyn district, and I think they would have a right at anyrate to ask the Government to pay over the rents received for the pasturage of the lake reserve for that purpose.—Yours, etc., WILLIAM COOP.