Flood Peak Causes Much Anxiety

Chronicle (Levin), 10 August 1949, Page 3

Flood Peak Causes Much Anxiety

\ ' . ; ■ ' . ALL-NIGHT VIGIL ON STOPBANKS The sustained high peak of floodwaters in the Manawatu^ River w/is a severe.threat to the stopbaiiks in the lower Manawata area ye'sterday and at a late honr last night workmen employed by the Manawatu Catchment Board together with local settlers under the board 's chief engineer (Mr. P. G. Evans) were ' engaged in reinforeing stopbanks at Bnekley.. As far as is known no seriqns breaches occurred.

From about 11 a.m. yesterday the i Manawatu River level of 16ft 9in at the Fitzherbert bridge ceased rising, maintaining ' this level untii about midnight last uight when it begau to fall. At 1 a.m. it w^s 16ft 3in. The full efl'ect of the floods was not felt in the lower Manawatu area until yesterday afteruoon wheu the river gauge at the Shannon bridge measured 26 feet 2 inehes, later rising to 26 feet 5 inehes. By midnight this level had dropped five inehes. o It is undersUjod that last night Mr. H. R. Farquhar, engineer to the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board, wg,s supervising the lowering of Bryant's spillwav to relieve the aecumulated waters at Shannon. Any threat to the district north ot Palmerston North "had passed by midday yesterday wheu all attention was focused on the Buckley area where sandbagging operations were carried out by local farmers aud catchment board workmen. Though none of the streams on the Manawatu side of the ranges gave cause for great conceru, the Manawatu River topped its banks in several places yesterday. At about 10 a.m. it started to flow over into the Taonui basin across the main roadway between Rangitane and Rangiotu. In places the water was covering the roadto a depth of four feet' and its estimated flow into the basin was about 30,000 eusees. At this rate it was estimated that the basin would be completely full in about 21 hours. By 11 a.m. the .floodwaters iu the Rangitane area had reaehed as far as the bridge at the end of the Longburn straight and the road was completely inundated. At one o'cloek this niorning the water was covering the Longburn Road for about 500 yards froin this eorner and was still rising. Kara Creek, which crosses the Palmerston North-Shannon highway at about dne mile from Shannon, topped its banks and began to cover the roadway but sandbagging operations soon brought the position under control, aithough the roadway was covered to a depth of about one foot last night and was still rising. Main Drain, on the Rangiotu-Manga-whata highway, also gave cause foi; concern yesterday when it banked up as far as a recently-constructed bank but bulldozers were rushed to the scene to save the situation. In the Lower Manawatu The effects of the flood did not begin to be felt in the lower Manawatu area until later yesterday. At 9 a.m. the river gauge at the Shannon Bridge registered 23ft. 6in. and shortly aft-er-wards the water began to flow over Wall's spillway into the Moutoa ponding area. At noon, however, the outflow was not great as the full weight of the water had uot theu been felt. At this time the Tokomaru Stream was euiptyiug fairly well aud had a considerable freeboard but by 3 p.m. the backing up of the waters had reduced' this to a matter of inehes. At i.30 the Shannon Bridge gauge measured 26ft. 2in. and this height, which was sustained for eight hours, threalened to break away the banks in the Bucldey area. Sandbagging operations were carried on most of the night by the Catchment Board staff and 3000 eandbags were rushed from t1inerston North oflice to cope with tiio 6ituation while extra hands stood by, keeping in communication with the stafl by means of a two-way radio system stalfed and maintained . members of the Amateur Radio Emergeney Organisation. This service was maintained by the organisation from early yesterday morning and all through last night. Unceasing Vigil. Oflicers of the Manawatu Catchment Board have had little sleep over the past two nights as they worked at their jobs of checking the progress of tae floodwaters in the Manawatu area. One man, Mr. L. Schwabe, has been at the same desk almost without break forecasting the flood peaks in every river and stream which might have a bearing on the situation in the Manawatu River district, receiving progress reports from gauge eheekers at many points, answering queries from worried farmers and sending bulletins for broadcasting. The chief engineer to the Catchment Boara (Mr. P. G-. Evans) has been superintending flood prevention in the river area throughout the crucial period and although he managed to get to bed late on Monday night he could not sleep and returned to his oflice to do some paper work before going out iuto the field again at dawn. Mr. J. A. x Marris, assistant engineer who has been in charge of operations at the Palmerston North headquarters, managed to snatcn two. hours of sleep in over 40. The engineer stationed at Pahiatua, Mr. N. G. Harris, spent a precarious night on Monday careering about his district reading gauges and reporting backwto headquarters. Other members of the inside aud outside staft's have spent iong hours at their jobs. Their work has been responsible for an up-to-date bulletin being issued to worried farmers.