Expected rain puts lake watchers on alert

BARRY HARCOURT/The Southland Times

DOWNPOUR: Heavy rain has flooded parts of Southland.

Relevant offers

Meridian Energy staff will be keeping a close eye on the weather over the next few days with Upper Waitaki hydro storage lakes already high and more heavy rain forecast.

The MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Fiordland, parts of Westland and the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago Rivers. Strong gusty north-westerlies are also predicted over the next few days.

The further forecast comes after flooding struck the lower South Island yesterday, blocking roads and causing minor accidents.

Flooding closed the road from Queenstown to Invercargill yesterday after days of steady rainfall pelted Southland.

Lake Wakatipu is still a metre off the first flood warning level, while Lake Wanaka is still 2.3m below.
Regional council environmental director John Threlfall said heavy rain and melting snow could raise lake levels significantly.

"I'm not trying to ring any alarm bells yet, just warning recreational users," he said.

Environment Southland was also carefully monitoring water levels this weekend as rain threatens an already saturated region.

Meridian Energy spokesperson Claire Shaw said yesterday they were aware of the forecast and were monitoring lake levels.

"We're watching it closely and trying to manage it as best we can."

Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo levels are at 97 per cent of average for this time of year, she said.

"So they're not quite full yet."

Large amounts of water were spilled from the dams last week, as there was in January.

The Otago Regional Council yesterday issued a warning for people to be aware of rising lake and river levels. Lake Wakatipu was at 309.63m, about 1m below the first flood warning level, and Lake Wanaka at 277.38m, 2.3m below the first flood warning level.

The Waitaki River at Kurow was yesterday flowing at 410 cumecs, slightly above average.

Many roads near the lower reaches of Southland rivers had been hit by flooding, and State Highway 99 between Invercargill and Riverton closed late yesterday afternoon.

While full-blown flooding was unlikely at this stage, the Clutha River could be running high, putting stock grazing on low land near the river at risk, Mr Threlfall said.

- Southland Times, Timaru Herald