FLOOD OUTLETS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4635, 7 December 1923, Page 4

FLOOD OUTLETS.

(To the Editor). Sir—Permit me through the col-; emns of your paper to draw the at- : tention of those interested in drain-, age operations in this district to the: necessity of increased outlets for; water in time of flood. At the pre-j sent time i the: water, althoughbi ought to the flood-gates in large drains often with a vertical face of from 40 to 80 square feet, has to find its way through small flood-gates: with a face of from 9 to 32 square feet, which are .seldom more than: half open, and in addition have grat-' ing which is-often choked by weeds, - thus further impeding the flow of water. The result is that for the time being the gates act as an impediment to the flow of water; and the situation looks ridiculous, entirely reversing the aim of the settlers., .namely^. to allow the water to get into the river as quickly, as possible. These flood-gates are excellent devices up to a certain limit, but when the water inside exceeds their capacity more is required, and tp this eni I vmuld suggest the adoption of auxiliary flood-gates, to be used only in times of flood, such as are used in other parts, of the world to cope with the same difficulty. They consist of heavy wooden doors, sliding in concrete grooves on the sides and fitting into a concrete groove on the bottom, and lifted by means of large screws. As soon as the water, inside rises above a ceratin. level the doors are raised, hut only when the tide is but, and put down again when the tide comes in, thus releasing a large volume of water in a short space of time. By this means the large drains can be emptied twice in the twentyfour hours, if need be, which gives the smaller tributary drains a chance to drain the water from the land instead of, as at present, when it is often the reverse. It was the writer’s privilege as a boy to look after one of these gates, 10ft by 4ft, which was kept locked to prevent it being tampered with, and was only used in times of excessive rains ; and to secure the full benefit of these gates the. large drains .were cleared of weeds twice a year so that'the water could flow freely. H. H. HICKS. Turua, November 30, 1923.