Selwyn River flow data can be misleading

People heading for the Selwyn River at Coes Ford after reading The Press’ river flow data (on the daily weather page) might wonder where all the water went.

That data is solely for the upper river at Whitecliffs where the flow is higher because it is relatively unaffected by irrigation demands. For example, on January 17 the flow level at Whitecliffs was more than five times higher than Coes Ford – 3.2 cumecs as opposed to 0.6 cumecs.

Summer irrigation demands deplete the lower river significantly. It may be of interest that historically (in pre-irrigation boom times) it was the other way around, with the lower river always having higher flows than the upper river, due to water seeping into it from the many springs in the Springston (Springs Town) area. Now, of course, irrigation takes much of this spring water as well.

My stats are from ECan’s river flow data, available daily through ECan’s website.. The Selwyn is quite a unique river in terms of its flow regime and publishing only the upper river’s flow is misleading. Bill Horsley

Rangiora

Rally to restore our water

Have we forgotten the true purpose of water? We bathe in it to keep our outside clean. We rince our clothes in it to keep them clean.

When we and the animals drink it, water cleans the inside of us, flushing out any toxins. Bottled water will keep you alive but its cleansing abilities are zilch as it’s already been degraded by the process.

If someone takes away some blood from your veins every day and gives it to someone else, you would eventually weaken and die. That’s what’s being done to the planet. Focus and restore the balance. It can be done, even in the most heavily polluted places.

This is the time every country of the world should be focusing not on war and making money, but on restoring their water to its pristine self. Balance will follow. Jan E Zervos

Christchurch RD4