The smaller dam in two options considered by Pioneer Generation for the Nevis River would have little or no impact on the archaeology of the valley, an archaeologist who has surveyed the site says.
Angela Middleton was employed by Pioneer to complete a survey and assessment of the Lower Nevis Valley in 2005.
She told a special tribunal in Cromwell yesterday she had recorded 64 archaeological sites in the valley.
The tribunal will decide whether dams should be allowed there.
It is hearing submissions on a proposed change to the Water Conservation Order on the river.
The existing order does not rule out dams, and Pioneer has considered two options for a hydro scheme but has not finalised its plans.
One was a small intake dam and reservoir flooding back into the Nevisburn Creek, transporting water via a tunnel and penstock to a powerhouse on the bank of the Nevis, upstream of the confluence with the Kawarau River.
The second option was similar but included a storage reservoir above Nevis Crossing, which created a storage lake.
Dr Middleton said there was the potential for archaeological sites to be affected or destroyed if resource consent was given for a hydro dam.
However, the smaller dam option would have "little or no impact" on the archaeology of the valley. It might affect two sites but the remainder should be unaffected.
If the larger dam was built, 47 sites - 73% of the total so far recorded - were situated outside any potential area of the dam.
