Retaruke River still grey

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 25, 17 November 1987, Page 9

Retaruke River still grey

Subsidence continues at the site of a massive slip into the Retaruke River, 10 kilometres west of Erua near National Park five m o n t h s after the initial slip. Between 16,000 and 32,000 cubic metres of greywacke slid into the river below the slip. Initially it was thought that all insect and animal life in the immediate area in the stream had been wiped out but monitoring of the biological fauna in the river by the Catchment Board has revealed signs of insect life. The Retaruke River had a reputation in the district for being a good trout fishing area, but officials now say that fishermen will be hard pressed to catch anything while there is a thick layer of grey sludge covering the river bed. One of our reporters visited the scene last week and filed the following report: "The embankment above the river, the site of the recent slip, is unstable and should be avoided at all costs. Signs warn passersby to keep clear and while our reporter sidled only close enough to take a quick photo, the sound of further slips crashing into the river hundreds of feet below could be heard. The water is the colour of the

banks. "A pair of wild goats were spotted sitting on a ledge fifty feet below. Only these sure footed animals will brave the moving slopes." An official with the Department of Conservation said stabilisation of the area was not being considered. "It's a massive slip and for the time being there' s not much that can be done about it. It will find its own level eventually, but meanwhile the river is very heavily silted," he said.