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Hot, dry summer has consequences

Wednesday 25 March 2009, 8:42AM

By Whangarei District Council

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WHANGAREI

A quick glance through the Infrastructure Services report for February shows impacts on water levels, underground pipes and traffic islands.

Whau Valley dam fell to 74% full, quite a drop on the usual 84% for February. The dam was being topped up by water pumped from the Hatea River. This has now stopped and heavy rain at the beginning of March has now filled the dam. Pipework sprang a few leaks around the place as the ground dried out over the summer and then expanded as it soaked up the March rain. This expansion and shrinkage can cause the pipes to move and spring leaks.

An upside of the dry weather has been hard ground which has enabled vehicles to access reserves for tree maintenance in the Western Hills, Whangarei Falls Reserve and Otaika Sports Park, AH Reed Memorial Park, Scow Landing and Mander Park. Work has been done to improve the view at Frying Pan Corner in Tutukaka and tree stumps have been removed from a number of locations.

The dry weather was not enough to slow work on the Kiteone Road Wetland Reserve which is now complete. Locals have set up a Landcare Group to keep the reserve in tip top order. As winter comes the stormwater settlement ponds, which are an important feature of the reserve, will be filling. They have been planted with native plants and should soon be attracting wildlife.