KAWARAU COMPANY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1926, Page 3

KAWARAU COMPANY

Eight of the eleven piers of the Kawarau Dam have now been completed, while five of the gates are in position, states the “Otago Daily Times.”' The diversion of the deep channel of water at No. 10 pier was completed two

weeks ago. and since that time a diver lias boon engaged in clearing away a small deposit of loose rock and sand to enable the concrete coffer dam at No. 10 pier to be placed. This work is progressing satisfactorily. and the concrete on the downstream or deepest end of the pier has been placed. The diver is now engaged fixing the boxing for the concrete coffer dam. Immediately this is completed. two shifts will be employed in pouring the concrete on the balance of the pier and sills.

Four snans of the Public Works bridge bare been completed. The lake continues to chop slowly in level, despite heavy rains some two weeks ago which caused a rise of nine inches.

The engineer made the following report on January lOtli : —“The wing dam across the deep channel at No. 10 pier has been completed. This work has been facilitated owing to the lake level dropping 2ft. (from 7ft. lOin. on gauge to oft. lrtiti. on gauge) during the Christmas holidays. Tile wing dam is satisfactorily diverting the flow of water, tlx? leakage being negligible. The water, in the pier site is calm down to river level, which is 3lt. (lin. below lake level. This Has enabled us to commence diving operations to-day. The work on pier No 10 and sill construction has been commenced. The diver was down to-day. and reports a good clean rock bottom all over, with a small amount of loose stones and clean sand to be cleaned out of the creches. The work of building the working platforms and coffer dam framework is now under wav. and as much as possible of this is before done ashore and passed out for tying in position by the diver. Two shifts will be employed in the pouring of concrete in this foundation at the earliest possible opportunity. Pier No. 11 lias now been completed. Both wing walls are above gate level and can be finished off at any rate irre-

spective of the closing of the gates. The bridge girders for the span between piers S and 9 are being launched out into position. No. S gate parts are all on t! eir sites, and the actual work of rivetting and assembling this gate is being commenced forthwith. The reports to hand indicate that nearly all the snow lias now disappeared from the back country and we hope that the present hot weather will cause a further drop in the lake level before work is commenced on the foundations of piers 6 and 7.