Combined effort to protect pumping station

HARD work by New Zealand Defence Force personnel, Otago Regional Council staff and contractors to block a hole in stopbanks near the Mill Creek pumping station, near Allanton, will not be in vain.

Council engineering, hazards and science director Gavin Pal mer said the work was undertaken between midmorning and early afternoon on Saturday.

Gravelfilled bags and other rock work had reduced the backflow that had threatened to undermine the pumping station on the Taieri River stopbanks, near Allanton, he said.

A 75mlong series of bottom hinged metal flapgates had been opened on Friday, as part of the design of the Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme.

The aim of opening the gates was to increase the flow of water into the protective upper ponding area, and reduce the flow in the Lower Taieri River downstream of this point.

Flood control checking and remedial work would continue, Dr Palmer said.

Although a deterioration in weather conditions had been predicted for later in the week, he believed this would not threaten the stopbanks near the pumping station.

Neither the repaired stopbank damage nor the folding down of the flood control flapgates would adversely affect continuing flood control preparations, he said.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz