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Dam
The Upper Nihotupu Dam is part of the Waitakere Ranges Water Supply System
After the completion of the Waitakere Dam in 1910, attention soon turned to the creation of further dams and reservoirs in the Waitakere Ranges to supply the increasing population of Auckland.
Walter Bush, City Engineer, favoured a site north of Piha Road for the Upper Nihotupu Dam. He considered an earth dam could be built there with good storage capacity. Henry Metcalfe (1851- 1918), the consulting engineer engaged to report on Bush's proposal, discovered foundation difficulties at this site. Metcalfe advocated for a concrete dam further down the valley, just above the main Nihotupu Falls. After further reports Bush designed the Upper Nihotupu Dam following Metcalfe's advice.
Tenders were called in 1915 and a Gisborne firm, Langlands and Company, were awarded the contract. Supplies were brought by boat to a special wharf and storage hoppers at Big Muddy Creek. A tramline was constructed up the valley to The Incline - a steep assent where trucks were hauled up to the pipeline track by a steam-powered hauler.
A quarry site for aggregate was cleared at the head of the reservoir and a tramline constructed to the dam site. However, in a freak accident during blasting for this tramline in March 1916, a flying rock killed the contractor William Langlands who was 100 metres (m) away. The contract continued under the control of Langlands' partner but progress was very slow after very heavy rain falls and flooding of the site.
Transportation of materials was delayed by washouts and tunnel collapses. World War One caused major shortages of men and materials. By 1919 foundation trenches had been dug and the first concrete was poured, but the Council was increasingly concerned about the slow progress and water shortages.
To provide additional water storage James Tyler, the Assistant City Engineer, designed a 19.8 m high concrete slab and buttress dam at the original site north of Piha Road. With rapidly increasing water consumption due to a growing population and the installation of flush toilets there was a great need to provide additional storage of 313,000 cubic metres. This auxiliary dam was completed under urgency by June 1921.
Langlands' contract continued to get further behind. The Council refused a request for an extension of time in January 1921. They then took over the contract deciding to complete it with their own engineering staff and day labour. Tyler was given the responsibility for completing the dam by 1923.
Exceptional heavy rainfall and gales on the harbour caused difficulties but by February 1923 the last concrete had been poured and the dam was officially opened by the Hon J G Coates, Minister of Works on 14 April 1923.
www.ipenz.org.nz/heritage/itemdetail.cfm?itemid=2288
Dam
The Upper Nihotupu Dam is part of the Waitakere Ranges Water Supply System
After the completion of the Waitakere Dam in 1910, attention soon turned to the creation of further dams and reservoirs in the Waitakere Ranges to supply the increasing population of Auckland.
Walter Bush, City Engineer, favoured a site north of Piha Road for the Upper Nihotupu Dam. He considered an earth dam could be built there with good storage capacity. Henry Metcalfe (1851- 1918), the consulting engineer engaged to report on Bush's proposal, discovered foundation difficulties at this site. Metcalfe advocated for a concrete dam further down the valley, just above the main Nihotupu Falls. After further reports Bush designed the Upper Nihotupu Dam following Metcalfe's advice.
Tenders were called in 1915 and a Gisborne firm, Langlands and Company, were awarded the contract. Supplies were brought by boat to a special wharf and storage hoppers at Big Muddy Creek. A tramline was constructed up the valley to The Incline - a steep assent where trucks were hauled up to the pipeline track by a steam-powered hauler.
A quarry site for aggregate was cleared at the head of the reservoir and a tramline constructed to the dam site. However, in a freak accident during blasting for this tramline in March 1916, a flying rock killed the contractor William Langlands who was 100 metres (m) away. The contract continued under the control of Langlands' partner but progress was very slow after very heavy rain falls and flooding of the site.
Transportation of materials was delayed by washouts and tunnel collapses. World War One caused major shortages of men and materials. By 1919 foundation trenches had been dug and the first concrete was poured, but the Council was increasingly concerned about the slow progress and water shortages.
To provide additional water storage James Tyler, the Assistant City Engineer, designed a 19.8 m high concrete slab and buttress dam at the original site north of Piha Road. With rapidly increasing water consumption due to a growing population and the installation of flush toilets there was a great need to provide additional storage of 313,000 cubic metres. This auxiliary dam was completed under urgency by June 1921.
Langlands' contract continued to get further behind. The Council refused a request for an extension of time in January 1921. They then took over the contract deciding to complete it with their own engineering staff and day labour. Tyler was given the responsibility for completing the dam by 1923.
Exceptional heavy rainfall and gales on the harbour caused difficulties but by February 1923 the last concrete had been poured and the dam was officially opened by the Hon J G Coates, Minister of Works on 14 April 1923.
www.ipenz.org.nz/heritage/itemdetail.cfm?itemid=2288