The Christchurch City Council's scheme to obtain power from the Waimakariri River, near Pattersons Creek
The Christchurch City Council's scheme to obtain power from the Waimakariri River, near Pattersons Creek
[1923]
The proposed dam site was one mile from Otarama Station, about ten miles above the Gorge bridge. It was to be 140 ft high and 370 ft long, built of reinforced concrete. A possible site for the powerhouse was selected, a quarter of a mile below the dam. A pontoon was anchored in the river from which water and shingle flows were measured and the bed rock drilled to determine its suitability to carry the weight of the dam. The scheme was abandoned when the government of the day opposed independent power generation
A close-up view of the pontoon. Note the effect of the nor'wester on the tarpaulin covering the engine and driving gear. The camp name for the pontoon was Noah's Ark, but an American engineer working on the site called it Sam Bull
File Reference CCL-KPCD09-IMG0070
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