Effects of Proposed Reservoir

Climate

- Humid near Beaumont, Sub-Humid, Roxburgh. Increase of frost at Beaumont and Millers Flat. More fog. Archaelogical Sites - 32 Reported, possibly up to 200. Major site near Beaumont Cemetery, one of only two of its kind in South Island. Earthquake Faults - Two main sets of faults evident - Blue Mts and Teviot Fault converge in Beaumont area. Identified as a fault zone up to 5 km wide, trending NW between Lawrence and Island Block. Two major slips in Beaumont Gorge on fault lines. One, 300 metres high. Roading - Sept 1994 ECNZ report - suggests preferred main road upgrade from Balclutha around reservoir to Raes Junction as route to Central Otago. An extra 18km, and probably up to $60m in costs in today's terms. Lawrence to Millers Flat options (5) needing causeways over 2 kilometres long, over a 30 metre depth, right on the Teviot earthquake fault, with its conjunction with the Blue Mountain No.1. Fault. Defined (3/2/95 report), but not costed. Cost estimate around $150m for each option. Fish - Over 100 species of native fish would suffer under a fluctuating reservoir that would damage plant/insect life. Tuapeka Punt - Construction site area would destroy Punt location, only one of two in NZ. Up to 1,000 crossings per year.

EFFECTS ON FARMING AND FORESTRY

Birch Island - Over 1 km long. 6-7 hectares. 3 varieties of beech, 12,000 year old forest - the last unmodified alluvial forest on Clutha River system. Farmland and Forestry - nearly 3,000 hectares of productive land under threat. Mostly pastoral grassland and some horticulture, exotic forest and native forest (Rongahere Gorge, between Beaumont and Tuapeka Mouth). Note: Productive land inundated in Cromwell Gorge for the Clyde dam was only 84 hectares. Native species include Red, Mountain and Black Beech (3 varieties existing together are very rare - Red Beech growth is southernmost limit.). Also Kanuka, Matai, Kowhai, Kahikatea, and many more. Plans to clear the area would involve herbicides and bulldozers. Birds and Insects - Rare species of insects found - P.apocrypta (grey moth), Sericospilus (Scarab Beetle). Birds: the rare Mohua (Yellowhead) would be threatened as would many migratory birds.

HABITATION, HISTORY AND RECREATION

Cemetery Sites - Beaumont Cemetery would be inundated. Millers Flat Cemetery would be made unusable through groundwater problems. There are other burial sites - Lonely Graves (cut off from access) and many early European and pre-European sites. The Rongahere War Memorial would be lost. People - Over 300 people would be moved, their livelihoods and 180 properties would be destroyed. Recreation such as white water boating, fishing, and hunting would cease or be severely curtailed. Also picknicking and camping. Scenic values would be lost to trampers, tourists etc. Boat Marinas on muddy shores of a fluctuating reservoir are unlikely to be attractive, or even practicable.


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