RIVERS RISE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 193, 1 September 1937, Page 6

RIVERS RISE

Country Reports Indicate Break in Weather iVERY LITTLE FLOODING Heavy and contintfous rain in ihe watersheds of the Ngaruroro and Tutaekuri rivers during the past few days has ^sulted in hoth these rivers rising sharply, "but not so as to cause any concern. The indications are, however, that there will he no further rise in the waters of hoth rivers, as there appears to he an immediate prospect Of a cessation of the rain. There is a little flooding reported in the Pakowhai district, hut nothing of a serious nature. Shortly before nine o'clock this mortiinjr -fcliere was considerable surface Water lying about in tlie Pakowhai district, and actually there was a quantity of flood waters from the Jygaruroro xiver over the road along little hridge on tlie other side of the the Poplar Avenue^ and also near the xiver. The river waters at this point had reached a heigbt of 9ft. 6in., and were still rising. Oommenting on the waters over the Pakowhai Toad, Mr C. Lassen, chairman of the Hawke's Bay Rivers Boa-rd who, witli officials of the board, had made a tour of the constructional works early this xnorning, said that jthis was caused by the tact tbat the work done on that portion of the Ngaruroro river from Fernhill to just below Twyford has so improved the bed of the river as to allow the waters to flow over this stretch muck fas/ ar than previously, and consequently the flood waters reached the Pakowhai' district quicker than wouid otherwise have been the case. With the continuation and eventual completion, of the protective works that are to be carried on nnder the scheme of flood pre-r yention and control, this problem would automatically be solved. "No damage to banks is reported from any point," added Mr Lassen, who. also mentioned that when the tour of inspection was made early this morning the reading of the Ngaruroro river at the Fernhill Bridge was 5ft. 6in., so that there would have to be a very considerable rise before the waters Teached what might be termed average flood levels. Tutaekuri Mouth. "Ihe Tutaekuri river once again is only in very small flood, and actually is doing more barm than good at the mouth," said Mr Lassen. "What we were hoping for was a good strong flow of flood waters in this river so as to wash away the banks of shingle at the month and give the river a good clean openihg into the sea." ~Mr Lassen said that at present the river was running at right angles to the groyne and travelling in a northern direction for about 50 yards. It was hoped that there would be sufficient pressure from a flood in the river to force the waters through the bank of shingle about 50 yards from the present opening. "To all appearances Nthe groyne has settled down very well and is holding the mouth of -the Tutaekuri there," he said. "Just to what extent actually the groyne has settled down it is impossible to state at present as the water is running over the top of it. We wilL know more about it when the river drops again, but I am not antieipating any difficulty. "All the same- it would be a real blessing to get a decent flood in this river so as to open up a proper mouth," he said. "It would just finish off the scheme nicely and enable the district to derive the maximum benefit from the protective and constructional work involved in the •ebeme." Mr Lassen mentioned tbat when*^ ▼isited earlv this morning tbe Tutae-

kuri river was flowine to a level of 8ft» at Redcliffe. A later report some hours later stated tbat the level was then 4ffc., and the waters were still rising. August Rainfall. "Unfil the last week it lookcd as tbough it was going to be tbe driest .August we had had . during the past five years. Instead, tbe rain- all came in the last week, and tlie total rainfall for -tbe monthi is the highest for August that it has been for tbe last five years," said Mr L. Maclean, of Glencoe Station, this morning when •giving his montbly rainfall readings. The total rainfall for the month was 3.99 inches, as against 1.64 inches last year, 2.28 in 1935, 1.69 inches in 1934 and 2.73 inches in 1933. "However, we are still close on 12 inches behind for the total rainfall for the year to date compared with that of last year," said Mr Maclean. "So far this year 4We have had 20.64 inches of rain." Details of the recordings for the past month are as follow: — August 3, .05 in; 6, .21 in; 12, .01 in; 13, .14 in; 14, .06 in; 24, .06 in; 25, .50 in; 26, .70 in;, 27, .07 in; 28, *.01 in; 29, J3 in; 30, .47 in; 31, 1.58 in; total, 3.99 ins. The rainfall in Hastings for August Was 2.25 inches, and of this 1.06 inches fell on the last day of the month. The summary of the month's weather prepared for the Herald-Tribune by Mr H. Nelson Fowler shows that rain fell on the following days: August 6, .07 inches; 11, .01; 13, .20; 14, .03; 24, .02; 25, .51; 26, .07; 29, .10; 30, .18; 31, 1.06. The total for the eight month of this year is 12.97, compared with 33.84 inehos for the same period last year, which brings out strikingly tlie fact, that this year there has been an uuusually dry season, although the month of August this year was xnucli wett-er than August, 1936, when the rainfall was only 1.17 inches, compared With 2.25 inches this year. There were 17 frosts during August, the lowest temperature recorded -being 8 degrees. The prevailing winds wero north-north-easfc Pn severn days, south 4