IS ARAPUNI DOOMED?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3646, 2 June 1927, Page 2

IS ARAPUNI DOOMED?

DISQUIETING RUMOURS. A Press Association message from Hamilton on Tuesday contained some interesting information in regard to Arapuni dam in regard lo possible flooding of excavations. From a private source a “Wanganui Herald” reporter gleaned some disquieting information which, if correct, may lead to the abandonment of the whole scheme. It is alleged that the borings for the power-house disclosed a solid foundation, but now it is stated that the supposed foundation consists of big boulders, and the water is sweeping through at such a rate that the probabilities are that it will be impossible to get a foundation for (lie building. If this trouble cannot be overcome, then the probabilities are that the whole scheme will be doomed. Strenuous efforts, it is said, are bring made to overcome the difficulty. ■ The contractors for the work are a very capable firm and used to overcoming great engineering difficulties, and it will indeed lie a big one that they cannot surmount. Yesterday’s message was as following: —Heavy rainfall lias caused the Waikato River to rise and the water gained on the nine cusecs pump discharging soaking through the gabion dam at Arapuni. An extra pump was installed, but the increased pressure caused the seepage to gain on both pumps, which were withdrawn. The water soon reached the apron of the middle segment of the dam, which is now completed to the full 170 feet width, but the wing wall on the western side is not in place alongside the segment, with the result that those excavations will lie flooded and covered with debris. The llow oi: the river had risen to 11,000 cusecs on Saturday. If it reached 10,000 cusecs ii would llow over the gabion subsidiary dam, but that is not antieipated. Had another few days elapsed the company would have been independent of all floods at the dam site.