Nature Body Fears For Lake Ohau

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31093, 23 June 1966, Page 18

Nature Body Fears For Lake Ohau

f.New Zeatund Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 22. The Nature Conservation Council today voiced its concern at the possibility that power schemes at present being considered would involve raising the level of Lake Ohau.

In its report to Parliament the council said it saw no objection to proposals for developing the avaiiable head between Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki.

However, if the scheme did not envisage raising Lake Pukaki the council feared that to compensate for the loss of storage the raising of I.ake Ohau would be unavoidable.

“Lake Ohau is still unspoiled and the council was opposed to anything being done that would impair its scenic beauty, which is superior to that of Lake Pukaki,” said the report

The council said it had continued to take interest in work being done on the Buller Gorge and Haast Pass highways. It hoped to have discussions with the National Roads Board on the question of the status of scenic roads and the policy for future construction work. The council again voiced concern at geothermal investigations. “The council considers thermal areas of scenic and scientific interest should be preserved, and it is concerned that such areas may possibly be affected by future geothermal development,” said the report. The bores being drilled were exploratory. The Ministry of Works had advised the

council during the year that there were then no firm plans for future electric power development in any thermal area. Proposed sites of bores had been notified to the council and those so far investigated were outside scenic; areas.