New Zealand's newest lake breaches dam
05 Oct 2007
New Zealand's newest lake has burst its dam but fears it could wreck havoc in low lying areas now seem less likely.
Officials have been keeping a nervous watch on the 2.5km lake in the Mt Aspiring National Park amid concerns the dam would collapse, sending thousands of cubic metres of water gushing down the Young Valley.
The 2km-long lake formed in September after a massive landslide in the northern branch of the Young River. The slip sent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rock plunged 900m to the valley floor, creating a dam 70m high.
The lake over-topped the dam late Friday but the Department of Conservation says the dam looks reasonably strong at the moment.
DoC consultant geologist Jeff Bryant, says water is "piping" through the bottom of the landslip and there are holes appearing above the seepage, but so far the integrity of the dam remains uncompromised.
The lake was made when a massive landslide slammed into the north branch of the Young River, near the head of Lake Wanaka. It created a dam 70m high, only 3km above the confluence with the south branch, which flows into the Makarora River.
Farmers with low-lying paddocks were told to move stock and machinery as rain pushed the water level up and officials warned the lake was likely to over-top the dam.
In Makarora, residents are putting a positive spin on the situation. Makarora Valley Association chairman Devon Miller says the makeshift lake has put the small township on the map and drawn lots of visitors to the area.
Helicopters were constantly buzzing over the area, taking sightseers over the lake. "We've become the centre of the universe, whether we like it or not," Miller says.
Residents in the town are unfazed by the attention and life is continuing as normal for Makarora locals: "We live in a dynamic part of the country so we're used to things happening."
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