LAKE LEVEL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 617, 23 August 1933, Page 6

LAKE LEVEL

SHOULD BE RAISED DEPUTATION PLACES THE POSITION BEFORE MINISTER THERMAL SPRINGS AFFECTED The serious effect of the eontinued fall in the level of Lake Rotorua upon the thermal activity in the district and the necessity for taking some steps to remedy the position by raising the water level, was emphasised by a deputation from the Rotorua Borough Council which met the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. Bitchener) last evening.. The deputation was headed by the Mayor (Mr. T. Jackson) who was supported by Crs. F. Goodson and W. H. Wackrow. In placing the matter before the Minister, Mr. Jackson said that residents who had lived for a number of years in Rotorua, realised from their observations how important the level of the lake was to the town from a number of points of view. It was contended by very many people who had observed the position over a period of years, that there was a definite connection between the level of the lake and the condition of the thermal springs in its vieinity. It had been observed that when the lake was at a low level, the thermal' activity correspondingly decreased, but that when the lake was high, the thermal springs rose and the activity became much greater. It would be realised that tliis was a most important thing, for Rotorua as a tourist resort, depended for very many of its attractions upon its thermal activity. Occasioning Concern The lake had fallen to such an extent during the past few years that the position was occasioning considerable concern and it was felt that some steps should be taken to apply a remedy. Another result of the fall in the Jake level had been to decrease the area of fly-fishing wa!ter available and also to decrease the feeding grounds of the fish. The lake fishing was a very valuable asset to the town and it was considered that it was being adversely affected by the present fall in the level of the water. It was only suggested that an effort should be made to restore the lako to its old level and if this was done he did not think that there could .be any question of damage. It had been contended that the Rotorua-. Whakatane Road, which slcirted the lake at one point might be affected but as this road had been in existenpe before the fall in the lake levul, he thought these fears were groundless. Lake Very Low Tho fall in the level of the lake had dated from the clearing of the bed of the Ohau Channel; ever since this had been done, the level had gradually fallen until at the present time, despito the fact that the winter rains had increased the amount of water in the lake, the level was still extremely low. It was felt that the position could bo largely remedied by a scheme which would control the level of the j lake. This should not entail any ! very heavy expenditure, but it would j undoubtedly stimulate the thermal j activity and improve the fishing, j Both of these matters would increase Rotorua's attractions as a tourist town and it was therefore hoped that the Minister would give the matter his sympathetic consideration. The ; proposal had already been the sub- ! ject of a_report by officers of his department while others of his colleagues who were also interested, had had the matter placed before. them. Connection Between Lakes Cr. W. H. Wackrow, in supplementing the mayor's remarks, explained that Lake Rotorua's outlet was through Lake Rotoiti by way of the Ohau Channel. If some means could be found of raising the level of Rotoiti it should have the effect of also raising the level of Rotorua. As an instance of the extent to which Rotorua had shallowed, Cr. Wackrow mentioned that when the timber loading wharf had been constructed at Mourea, there had been 42 inches of water on the flats, but that since Ihe alteration of the Ohau Channel this had decreased to as low as 15 inches during the summer months. At the present time the level was 28 inches and this was considei'ably higher than it had been for some considerable time. It was contended in ! some quarters that the change had i been brought about by the silting up of the lake, but measurements bad shown that the fall in level had been general on all sides of the lake. As a resident of 40 years' standing, Cr. Goodson said that he could fully endorse the remarks which had been made regarding the effect of the lake level upon the thermal activity. He had always been interested in this matter and could speak from his own observation. The Malfroy Geysers in the Government Grounds could be used as an example, and it could be ^ shown in five minutes that the weight of cold water from the lake, acting upon the thermal water, influenced the play of the geysers. National Interest The Government had sunk a great deal of money in Rotorua and it was as much interested as the residents in preserving its thermal and other attractions. The adverse effect upon the fishing of the fall in the lake level was another important mattei while the present difficulty experienced in negotiating the Ohau Channel by launch had largely spoiled one of the most attractive tourist trips in the district. The ways and means of raising the level would, of course, be left to the officers of the department; he thought it quite a feasible scheme to raise the level, however, and he trusted that something could be done to bring about an improvement. Mr. C. H. Clinkard, M.P., who introduced the deputation, also supplemented the remarks of the previous speakers, and reminded the Minister that the matter had already been brought under the notice of some of his colleagues. He had recently received a letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. J. A. Young) in which the question of possible compensation as a result of water encroachment had been raised. He considered that if Lake Rotoiti was raised fihree to four feet the resulting rise in Rotorua would not be more than one f oot, This could not possib-

ly cause damage to property owners. However, this aspect of the matter was one that must be watched and he suggested that a report might be prepared showing the probable effect of raising the water level upon low-lying marginal lands. Grown at Outlet Both the Tourist Department and the Internal Affairs Department were interested in the matter and were anxious to see the level of the lake raised, but the ways and means were a matter for Mr. Bitchener's department. Mr. Clinkard suggested that the level might be improved by constructing a groin of concrete filled bags across the outlet channel, a method which he did . not consider would prove unduly expensive. Mr. H. Watkinson, district engineer of the Public Works Department, however, differed from Mr. Clinkard in this and pointed out that it would be necessary to control flood waters. This could only be done by construeting flood gates and this would prove an expensive proposition. The fall in the lake levels was no new thing and it was common to all the lakes in the district. In 1915, Lake Rotoma had fallen even lower than it was at present yet it had risen again and eventually overflowed the road j at one point. The Minister, in reply, said that he had been interested in the views which had been advanced. The problem was a new one to him and in its way unique, as in the majority of places the department was being asked to take water off land and not to increase its level. The matter was really too new to him to allow him to express any opinion, but he would be very pleased to discuss it with his colleagues, the Ministers of Tourist and Health Resorts and of Internal Affairs and see what could be done.