HEAVY FLOOD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1162, 8 April 1884, Page 3

HEAVY FLOOD.

On last Friday evening, about 9 o’clock, rain commenced to fall, and continued to increase till about 8 o’clock on the following morning, when it came down in torrents. It continued to rain without intermission all day on Saturday, and during the night, till about 3 o’clock on Sunday morning. On Saturday evening the rivers rose very high. One of the oldest inhabitants of Temnka informs ns that he never saw the Temuka river so high, except once, for the last twelve years. The river overflowed its banks, and the back water from it nearly reached as far as Mr Lee’s old shop. The rivers all over South Canterbury were swollen to a very high degree, but we have not heard of any damage done, with the exception of what has occurred to the Opibi Bridge. That has sustained very serious damage, which cannot be easily repaired. It appears that for a few days previously men were engaged in trying to alter the course of the river from the south side to the centre of the riverbed. Their efforts, although they had only commenced work, had some effect, for the rush of the water was altered, and it came down with greater force and in much larger volume on the north side, with the result that it swept the north approach clean away. This is the piece that the previous flood damaged, and over which the inquiry into the action of the Overseer in throwing loose cement into a running stream was held, About a chain of the approach was swept clean away, and that distance now separates the wooden structure from the main road. The water is now rushing down this gap, and, if we mistake not, it is now one of the deepest parts of the river. It will, therefore, be necessary to add another span to tbe bridge before it can be used for traffic, The deviation made in the river, however, saved the south side. Only for that, in all probability the water would have broken through down to the Arowbenua Hotel. One lesson this seems to us to teach, and that is that the best thing that can be done is to turn the course of the river down the centre ot the riverbed. This can easily be done at a short distance up, where the water divides into two streams. If a channel is scooped out here for the water in the centre of the riverbed, and the present watercourses blocked up and planted with willows, the trouble with the Opihi Bridge will be reduced to a minimum. If this is not done there will always be trouble with the approaches, and we doubt very much whether they can ever be made secure. We understand tbe breach in the bridge is now undergoing tempora:y repairs, but how soon it will be fit for traffic it is difficult to say. We believe that for the most part the grain throughout the district is in stacks, but any stacks that were not well made are bound to be damaged. However, on the whole we trust the damage will not be serious.