Rain benefits hydro lakes

Selva Selvarajah
Selva Selvarajah
West coast rain continued to fill southern hydro lakes as low level alerts remained in place for some Central and North Otago rivers yesterday.

Otago Regional Council resource management director Dr Selva Selvarajah said recent rainfall had improved the situation on the Taieri River, with the Outram and Sutton sites reporting above minimum flows.

Water take from the Kakanui River was reinstated yesterday as its flow reached 0.4cumecs.

The Taieri at Waipiata was 0.9cumecs, the Shag at Craig Rd was 0.08cumecs, and the Kakanui at Mill Dam and Clifton Falls bridge was 0.4cumecs yesterday afternoon.

Low level alerts in these areas remained in place as did the suspension of water takes from the Shag River.

Meridian Energy external relations manager Alan Seay said the company's hydro-electricity lakes were still full and Lake Pukaki continued to spill water.

The company's website also showed Lake Ohau, Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau were above normal operating range.

Contact Energy communications manager Jonathan Hill said Lake Hawea remained 80% full and inflows into the Clutha River were still "quite high".

With forecasts of strong inflows coming over the weekend "some spill will be likely".