ARAPUNI MARVELS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 245, 6 January 1928, Page 1

ARAPUNI MARVELS

FOREST EXPOSED HUKA FALLS RIVALLED I WAIKATO’S NEW CHANNEL Thrashing its way down the new courts bslow the spillway, the Waikato at Arapuni is still sluicing i sway a lot of country, and has now •xposed the remains of an ancient forest, in which the erect stumps jjj are in a remarkable state of pre- " tervation. As interesting geological relics the stark columns, long buried under pumice, must inevitably excite the attention of studious obser- ; vers. Lately the gates in the diversion unnel at the main dam have been •ompletely closed, and only a mere rickle of water, forced under the !oor-sills under fabulous pressure, has >een discharged by the aperture hrough which, until recently, the main tream of the Waikato was seething. ’ The dam, a majestic pheet of water, s full almost to the parapet of the missive concrete mountain which has leld and turned aside the stream, and is a result the full strength of the Waikato is flowing down the headrace, jid over the spillway. Were the works synchronised as first lianned, a substantial percentage of the rater would now be flowing down the enstock tunnels, turning the turbines in he powerhouse below. Eiut there is et no powerhouse, and the entrances o tho tunnels are sealed with massive rates. CONTRASTING PICTURES All the water flowing down the headrace going over the spillway and orms an attractive picture. In the leadrace the wonderful tints of the Waikato, demonstrated wherever the iver flows in a quiet reach, give it a iharacteristic beauty, and its glissade >ver the spillway is stately and digniied. The effect of serenity is lost as soon a the river is over the spillway. From he froth and foam at the foot of the ipillway wall begins its turbulent despot to the main channel. There are wirling pools, sluggish expanses where tit is heavily deposited, and there are ►ouncing rapids and spectacular falls, ill combining to create a bewildering cene. The main cataract, though its letting is hardly of such mellowed leauty, has all the crashing violence »f the Huka Falls, and the same throb >f pounding water hangs always upon he air. Below the falls the buried forest has teen exposed, a wilderness of stark boles j :ontrasting sharply with the tawny hue >f the river, and the glaring whiteness >f the pumice faces cut by the swift irosioc, which has been a feature of •he recent proceedings. Where the stream re-enters the main hannel tons and tons of silt have been teposited, causing the river to back ip nearly Zfi feet above the normal level -ater. when the river has consolidated ts new escape channel, the gates in he diversion tunnel will probably be ►pened,letting through a flood of water h sluice the silt-deposits away. _ At present the river is far from conwiidated in the channel below the spillY’u and the Possibility of pranks nuch may have serious effects is not “together past. It is still possible, not probable, according to the ingineers, that the freakish currents nay take the diverted stream into the Q ain channel at Brandon’s pools, higher i|P than the present outlet. This would constructional operations at fie Powerhouse site, where work cannot If started until the water, backed up pom junction, has fallen. Hamilton water supply ■At present the main concern is with “' Welfare of Hora Hora. where conk»ve so far improved that f'sterday, for a time, five turbines out e *ght were operating. '-Jogging is still liable to occur, but amount of debris is now much less *t was during the first three days, aotl Hamllto n the difficulty with the

Ksovi Bupp ' y has accentuated the main -mty, the shocking condition of the >r ah Water -supply. Not all the pumps . 8 a * distributing station c i e anse the water, and clear well--18 fa such demand that those with *, io .. are fln <*ing a ready market for pJJ ew commodity. the agalnst the manner in which operations have interferp W dai rying in the Waikato Cert to the Public Works Depart£e ‘ T Dy J. T. Johnson, chairman of Power Board, and Mr. iridpar^ ell3, chairman of the Cam--2L oWer Eoard - In «- P iy Mr - Wj? received the following wire f Wi \ electrical engineer (Mr. GreaUy regret the inconhOj,*i" C v raised. This is occasioned ■iver „? y debris washed down from new a oßt a We are doing our ut•minti anticipate a clear and uninWhiip * uppl y within 48 hours.*’ *rvW, k dislocation ■. of the power he been an inconvenience to l %htmfl ie district, it has been a positive is tin- j re i° the farmers, particularly loctinn W the season of maximum prosupply to the full >Umpi n g *° r milk i n S. separating and