Advocate 18/9

Winter is keeping things pretty quiet here in Turangi.

The fishing has been pretty quiet as well though the very few who have had good catches will say that it has been great. The signs that it is quiet are the small numbers of anglers out on the river.

The new season started 1 July. I didn’t get my license until 1 July and when I did decided the day was miserable outside and stayed by the comfort of the fire and read. I applied for my family license using the laptop but found that difficult as I am not keen on downloading programmes. So I used the cellphone which was very easy. I simply googled Taupo online fishing license and it was easy.

I considered the economics of the family license as last season the family consisted of myself, wife and 4 gandchildren. My wife didn’t fish once but the alternative was one geriatric adult license and 2 grandchildren who will fish with me for more that 3 occasions and on that consideration 4 grandchildren will all fish more than 3 occasions and my wife might come with me at least once so the family license remains as for last year. 

I fished last Wednesday afternoon and caught 1 Jack lurking around waiting for the next school of hens to advance. He had been there a while as the skin was beginning to darken. A bystander watched so rather than return it to the water he happily accepted it. I fished for a coupe of hours for my 1 fish of the afternoon.

It has been cold. Snow on Mt Pihanga and on the Kaimanawas. The Desert road has been closed overnight on a couple of occasions. It has been quite still but is slightly warmer today but with a wind of about 15 knots which makes it feel colder than the recorded air temperature. There wa 21.8 mm of rain last night but it has had minimal effect on the river level causing a rise from slightly over 25 cmcs to a peak of 29 and is dropping back quickly. The full moon phase has just passed but the bright moon is in the sky during the morning.

River Works Plan for late summer 1918/19.

The work plan document is on our website: Library, Key documents.

Waikato Regional Council has a responsibility to offer a degree of protection to the people of Turangi against flood. The town has had two floods since 1950 which were close to 1 in 100 year events the last being in 2004. The flood of 24 February 1958 did considerable damage and took out the southern access to the State Highway 1 bridge.

This photo  was on the cover of our 2015 Annual report and other photos were an appendix to the report. At least two properties were destroyed.

The flood of 28 February 2004 was equally large and took some time for the damage and debris from that event to be cleaned up. Residents well remember the mess created.

The lake that formed between SH1 and Herekiekie street nearer Graces Road than the river.

Impact on Tongariro Lodge.

Cleaning up on SH 1 bridge where logs dammed up against the pilings and had to be lifted on to the bridge for disposal.

The swing bridge was severely damaged by a log and out of action for some time.

I agree with the proposed 5 actions which are:

Between thw Hydro Pool and the swing bridge;

Island Pool to State Highway 1 bridge

Vegetation on the island upstream of SH1 bridge

no images were found

The river works completed in April 2018 and widening of the channel in this area with work done on True Left.

Work in the area of the Braids.

Eric Wilson

Secretary