Massive flood on Wanganui River

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 327, 13 March 1990, Page 1

Massive flood on Wanganui River

Nobody in Pipiriki can remember the Wanganui river level rising as high as it did last Saturday.

Pipiriki Conservation Officer Dennis McDonnell said yesterday the level was just four me-

tres below the 1904 flood level, and 15 metre above its normal level. He warned Wanganui at 3.30pm on Saturday about the alarming rate of rise in the river's level, which he said was about a foot an hour. "There's an unbelievable amount of damage on the river," said Mr McDonnell. "Whole trees, with tops and root systems still attached , have been floating past." He said there is now two metres of silt on the boat landing, the river approach road, the

picnic area and the camp ground. It is impossible to get jetboats onto the river because of the silt. He said he doubted it would be possible to ever get the area back to the way it was. Council staff had tried on Sunday to clear the mud off the road and landing area, but were unsuccessful. Mr McDonnell said they were waiting for a bulldozer to help shift the mud. Council staff from both the Ruapehu district and Wanganui were working yesterday to clear slips that had Turnpage2

Wanganui River damage "unbelievable"

From page 1 completely blocked the River Road, isolating the settlement at

Jerusalem. Staff were taking in emergency supplies yesterday morning for residents

until the road could be opened. Mr McDonnell said there could be much more damage as the water level dropped, with grourid slumping causing washouts on the road. The river covered the road at at least three places on the river road. The Raetihi to Pipiriki road was blocked by about 30 slips on Saturday but was reopened Saturday aftemoon. But the road was still under threat Monday morning. Pipiriki settlement itself remained largely unscathed, said Mr McDonnell. He said power and telephones remained active, and now, after running low, their water

tanks are full A number of the Whanganui National Park river huts were threatened by the rising waters and one has suffered probably major damage. Te Puha hut, just below Pipiriki, was completely submerged at one stage, and Mr McDonnell said the ground under it was, on Monday, threatened with erosion. He said the hut's toilet had slipped away and that the hut's foundations were under attack as the river level dropped. He said he wasn't sure if the hut would stay put. He said they were unsure of the level of

damage up river from John Coull Hut but that below there, where the Manganuiateao and Whangamomona rivers joined the Wanganui, there was "an incredible amount of damage" to the river banks. A number of canoeists were yesterday waiting

for flood waters to recede before coming out to Pipiriki and Mr McDonnell said there were some who were safe but would have to be rescued because their canoes had been swept away. Part of one group set off from Whakahoro on Saturday despite the rising waters, but managed

to make John Coull hut and safety. Another group was trapped at Tieke Hut, with water coming close to the hut. Mr McDonnell was yesterday awaiting a helicopter to assess the damage to the river and the Whanganui National Park tracks.