Waimea Weekly
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Wear your Gumboots this Friday
Trust to expand Snowden Bush Page 7
Page 16
Wednesday 3 April 2019
Weekender entries open
Page 23
Dam works under way The first stage in building the Waimea Community Dam has started. Work on the three-year project began in early March with site works to create access to its Lee Valley site. That was followed by the bury-
ing of a mauri stone, a mark of respect to Papatūānuku the earth mother and a blessing bestowed on the site and the structure that will be located there. The first phase is expected to take about six months. The second phase, which in-
cludes construction of the dam itself, is expected to take around 18 months, finishing in April 2021. In the final phase, the reservoir will fill naturally for several months, with the dam due for final commissioning in February 2022.
At last week’s council meeting councillors voted to receive the draft statement of intent by Waimea Water Limited, a joint venture between the council and Waimea Irrigators Limited. Waimea Water’s role is to manage the construction, operation and
maintenance of the dam, to the benefit of water users in the area. The statement says the project is well advanced, with site selection, design parameters and delivery partners all set.
See pAge 2
Among those who had lots of fun at this year’s Muddy Buddy were, from left, Wakefield’s Kirsten Fallen, Skylah Rose, Shelley Barbarich and Indi Fallen. Photo: Colin Williscroft.
Full StoRy pAge 7
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