Letters To Editor: Dam dangers

Dam dangers

Re the proposed irrigation and hydro dam on Makaroro River near the Ruahine ranges in Central Hawke's Bay.

This thing is going to be big. They are talking about a 77 metre-high dam containing an area of water three times greater than Lake Tutira, at an estimated cost of $180 million.

I am astonished at the lack of reaction to such a scheme.

In these enlightened times, I thought the mere hint of a dam across a river would bring the protesters out in force. Where are they?

I fully support the idea of water storage for irrigation. It is the way of the future, the only way - but not in a river.

What is going to happen to the millions of tonnes of shingle eroding off the Ruahines that gravitates down that river?

Another point is that by preventing a constant replenishment of metal downstream of the dam, the riverbed in that section may scour down deep and cause problems.

I also wonder if it is possible to provide a flood spillway that could cope with a severe weather bomb in those mountains.

Then there is the very real risk of earthquake. A fault-line runs along that range. Clear evidence of it can be seen not far from the proposed dam site.

To add to the risk, the land structure in that area is described as "rotten rock".

In other words, not very stable.

If that dam ever failed at a time of flooding, there would be devastation all the way to the coast at Napier.

Fourteen potential sites have been whittled down to this big one as a last resort. So the HB Regional Council may not wish to concern itself with potential problems that can be written off as of "no significant concern".

The trouble is, most people have faith in the experts to make the right decisions. History is littered with exceptions to this rule.

I would have thought that surely there must be some major side valleys somewhere adjacent to, but separate from, the rivers, that could have water diverted to them as storage areas.

I do stand to benefit from this scheme (if I can justify the likely cost). But the risk involved in damming a river, I suggest, needs more serious consideration.

Kerry Butler, Tikokino

Roading alternative

Having travelled over both alternative roads, "The Saddle" and "Pahiatua Track", I often feel there must be another easier route over the range - and there is.

It's a "paper road" with access from the Woodville side of the range, approximately 300m from the Gorge road and accessible by 4WD vehicles. I have heard on the grapevine that a local roading contractor knows the history of how and when it was formed.

So, somewhere in the local council's archives, information on this should be available. Over the years why has this alternative route not been investigated and a feasibility study carried out on it?

I have been concerned about the Gorge road and have formulated an idea that I have not heard of before. At the slip face, carry out a remedial horizontal dig about halfway up the slip, then level the rubble on the road. Then the traffic can travel over it to consolidate a good foundation, as I believe the bridge under the slip has collapsed. This part of the road may be raised considerably due to the amount of rubble but would that matter? It's far better than trucking it out.

If the idea is feasible, surely this solution may have the Gorge open in a shorter space of time than that envisaged at present.

The closure of the gorge for such a long period has been at a considerable cost to all road users and to the detriment of the small towns in Tararua District.

I am just an ordinary citizen with no expertise about roading, but I felt the urge to put pen to paper on these matters. Colin GowanPalmerston NorthTagging immortalityWhile walking though Anderson Park in Greenmeadows recently I noticed some tagging that I feel deserves a mention.

The tagger in question has added a prime piece of tagger "real estate" to his or her "portfolio" and can now proudly tell all the other taggers that the bin provided for dog poo deposits is now "their turf".

I am sure the great graffiti artists and political activists who have used public vandalism as a medium for making pointed social commentary over the years will be extremely jealous of your achievement.

Not everyone gets to put their "tag" on a dog poo bin.

Congratulations and keep up the good work.

Guy Harding, Napier

Phonebook size

Re "Phonebook size defies sense" (Hawke's Bay Today, November 7).

I did phone to complain about the new edition received in my mailbox.

Yes, I'm fully aware that at my age, mothers tend to look so young, print does get smaller and even a gentle slope gets steep ... but the pleasant lady who took my call couldn't have been nicer. She offered me a magnifying glass. I do have one already, so I said thank you and declined her offer.

Today I've returned to the address (on page 2) along with my neighbour's copy also.

No doubt I'll still have to pay for this ridiculous edition.

It is my hope that others may show their displeasure in the same way and return this unsatisfactory book from whence it came.

June Graham, Napier

Phonebook size II

Having received the latest telephone book, I notice it to be smaller in size, 25mm x 20mm to be exact.

Surely in these difficult financial times, everyone has in some way or another been pruning their expenditure to manage their expenses.

Telecom appears to be pruning its expenditure also, or maybe trying to save the environment by printing less paper to publish the latest phonebook.

With current ageing population over 55 at 1.3 million (according to Phil Goff), how is it possible to read, let alone see the phone numbers?

Optometrists will be rubbing their hands with glee with the sale of new reading glasses to those who may need them after trying to read the new phonebook.

Come on, Telecom, why try to be smart and produce a smaller version? Who knows, maybe in the future its idea is to produce a pocket-sized telephone book.

Bruce McCormick, Te Pohue

Phonebook size III

I don't know who had the brilliant idea to make this year's telephone book even smaller - some green tree-hugger, no doubt. Now I am all for looking after the environment, but really, how is one supposed to read it?

My suggestion is Telecom should have provided each household with a large magnifying glass.

Anne Lindsay, Hastings