Click photo to enlarge
The large piece of rock which was causing most concern at
the Shotover slip fell at about 6.30am yesterday, and the
only remainder of the 30,000-tonne mass of schist which
caused the cessation of all commercial rafting trips on the
Shotover River is some loose rock. Photo by Queenstown
Rafting.
Commercial rafting trips on the Shotover River may resume
next week after about 30,000 tonnes of rock, which had
threatened to slip down a steep cliff for more than a month,
finally gave way yesterday.
Rafting operations were suspended by the Queenstown Lakes
District Council after the first slip occurred on July 9.
Queenstown Rafting managing director Vance Boyd said
engineers would assess the slip area on Monday.
"From there, we've got to talk to the council about removing
the closure [so we] can go back on the river.
"We're very hopeful that the council will be able to lift the
closure of the river some time next week.
"The material has fallen into the chute below the active face
and broken up . . .only one or two rocks have reached the
edge of the river, making no change to the route or flow of
the water".
QLDC regulatory and corporate services general manager Roger
Taylor said the council would be in a position to reopen the
river and allow public access back into the area as soon as
it was confident the slip posed no further risk and the
Moonlight Track had not been undermined by it.
Yesterday's rockfall, about 6.30am, was the culmination of
determined efforts since August 14 by contractors McNeill
Drilling and Pumping and members of the Queenstown Volunteer
Fire Brigade to dislodge the huge amount of loose rock by
pumping water through and over the slip at up to 200 litres
per minute. It was further helped by heavy rain early
yesterday.
Mr Boyd said cold temperatures earlier in the week froze the
pipes pumping water from Shady Creek to the slip and it also
froze the water inside the rock. The ice acted like glue.
Since then, the crew had been pouring water over the slip
"day and night", Mr Boyd said.
Mr Boyd said the exact cost of dislodging the slip was still
unknown, but estimated it might be about $30,000.
Firefighters would continue to run water over the slip during
the weekend to hose down any remaining small pieces of
material.
