River Levels Dangerously High At Moutoa

Chronicle (Levin), 17 November 1949, Page 3

River Levels Dangerously High At Moutoa

•A sequel to the severe flood in August of this year, which inundated the lower portion of the. Manawatu district, was, the* prejsentatioh; of a special report to "the Manawatu Catchment Board: on Tuesday from a panel of en-| . gineers who reviewed the flood : gradients in the area. The* in-1" ispeetion followed a report to the board by its chief engineer (Mr." F. G. Evans) that flood levels •were dangerously high. Th. impiement a recommendation. • that, under the existing condition"- ' of stopbanks, the river shpuld* not) be allowed to rise above' 26 feete. at the Shannon Bridge, the panel; considered that use should bel made of the Moutoa area as an; outlet for surplus flood waters." Therefore it recommended that Bryant's spillway be reduced from* its ddsigned height of 24 feet 3^ inc'hes downstream and 24 feet 7" inches upstream to 23 feet 3 inc'hes, s and 23 feet 7 inches respectively,. 1 in terms of the present Shannon? ; gauge. j V Safety Margin Insufficient. a Contending that the position re-* garding spillways and stopbanks? in the lower Manawatu basin— at^. present the subject of an agree-7 ment between various authorities* — did not give the degree of safety. desirable in the area, the panel made the following further recom-5 .mendations: > « That the banks of the Kara, Creek and the Mangaore Streambe raised in conformity with a % feet free board with the Shannon) gaugef- reading 26 feet, such raising heing in conformity with plans? already prepared for the Toko-? maru River. . That in order that flood levels should not rise above 32 feet at) ; Wall's spillway, additional provision Should be made for relief at or near Wall's spillway, such) provision to operate only when the flood level in the Taonui basin reached 38 feet with a likelihood of a further increase in flood. levels. The flood level of 38 feetiii the Taonui basin meant that the basin was commencing to dis'charge appreciably back into the Manawatu River, near the mouth; of the Oroua. River, said the committee. That permission be granted to raise the Moutoa banks elsewhete to the level of the extension of master grade, that is, 28 feet at Shannon Bridge and 33 feet at Wall's spillway, and that permission be given for the isolated low .spots on the Makerua banks to be raised to conform to the adjacent : Makerua b.ank levels. That permission be granted to. raise banks in the lower Koputaroa area to master grade. That permission to raise banks; in - the Taonui area adjacent to the Manawatu River be refused. The report was received, but not adopted, and will be fully discussed at ihe board's next meeting. The engineering cummittee comprised Messrs Evans, O. J. Do1h.il, L) P. Jamieson and H. R. Farquhar.