More Detail On The Way For Duntroon Residents

After consultation with the Duntroon community, Meridian Energy has commissioned a more detailed artist’s impression of the proposed Duntroon recreational lake in the lower Waitaki Valley.

Meridian Energy is seeking the community’s views on the proposed Duntroon and Kurow recreational lakes, which are part of the proposed community mitigation for Project Aqua. Meridian Energy wants to confirm that the community will value the lakes for this purpose.

Project Aqua Engineering Manager Tony McCormick says although a small embankment was included in the initial concept engineering drawings, up until now it has not been possible to confirm exactly what kind of embankment would be needed in Duntroon to contain the lake, allowing for operational level changes.

“We now have the results of the preliminary investigations which show a small embankment would be needed at the eastern end of the lake at the eastern end of Campbell Street. This is to ensure the Duntroon community would not be affected by variations of the lake level under normal operational conditions,” says Tony McCormick.

The initial lake proposals included a 2m high embankment at the eastern end of the lake. This has been changed however, as the lake’s proposed water level has been lowered. This is due to a slight alteration to the position of the power stations and the canal levels at the power stations, which resulted in a slight water level reduction at Duntroon.

“Due to the lowering of the proposed water level we have been able to reduce the height of the embankment. Our latest investigations have shown the small embankment will be around 1.2m,” says Tony McCormick.

The embankment will be subject to a detailed landscaping plan, to ensure that it blends in with the local environment.

Tony McCormick says that people are now looking at the proposal in more and more detail, following the formal application on 14th May for the approvals to allow Project Aqua to go ahead.

“The feedback from our Information and Consultation Days was overwhelmingly in favour of the lake development, and some people made suggestions regarding particular aspects of the lake. The detail of the lake development is by no means complete and this community feedback is being welcomed as part of the design process, “ says Tony McCormick.

“We are working hard to produce updated impressions of how the lake will look. The embankment will not compromise the purpose of the recreational lake, or any activities that take place on or around the lake,” says Tony McCormick.

For more information on the proposed lakes, or any other aspect of Project Aqua, please contact the Kurow Project Aqua office on (03) 436 0920.

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