SWIRL POOL COMES BACK TO LIFE AFTER 7 YEARS

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 40, 25 May 1965, Page 5

SWIRL POOL COMES BACK TO LIFE AFTER 7 YEARS

The main stream o£ the Tongariro River about 400 yards below the State Highway bridge at Turangi was diverted back into the old Swirl Pool course at 4.30 p.m. yesterday. It was done on the authority of the Waikato Valley Authority at the request of the Internal Affairs Department. Mr P. Burstall, Internal Affairs, Rotorua, supervised the work on behalf of both authorities. The work was carried out by Mr J. O'Toole, a metal supply contractor on the Tongariro Power Development job, and Mr Peter Callaghan, a Turangi bulldozer driver. The aim behind the cut was two-fold — to improve the supply of metal for the power project and to improve the river in that area for fishing. Heavy flooding of the river in 1958 altered its

course away from the Swirl Pool toward the northern bank, ruining the pool and the Hut Nursery Pool for fishing. Mr Burstall said that an attempt would also be made shortly to bring the Hut Nursery Pool back for fishing and some work has already been done to this end. The bulldozers worked all day in preparing the old bed for the final cut and | just before 4.30 p.m., the machines opeiled it up for the diversion. With the aid of . the bulldozers, the main stream waters soon i widened the gap. It is expected that the river itself will deepen the cut and complete the job.