Ohakuri

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Ohakuri Dam from the north.
Ohakuri Dam from the north.
The penstocks seen from the west.
The penstocks seen from the west.

Ohakuri is a dam and hydroelectric power station on the Waikato River, central North Island, New Zealand, midway between Taupo, Rotorua and Hamilton. Its dam is almost immediately south of the Atiamuri Dam.

It was commissioned in 1961 and construction was organised from the 'hydro town' of Mangakino.[1] The dam eventually created Lake Ohakuri, the largest artificial lake on the Waikato,[2] and drowned two thirds of the Orakei Korako geothermal area,and hot springs and wahi tapu (Māori sacred sites) at Te Ohaaki.[1] The submerged area also included two of the world’s largest geysers (Minginui Geyser and Orakei Korako Geyser).[3]

The construction in the face of these negative effects was considered justified at the time due to the serious electricity shortages plaguing the country after World War II, and by the fact that laws requiring public participation or consultation were not introduced until much later. While compensation to Māori land owners was paid based on the land take rules of the Public Works Act, the damage to the inhabitants of the area was to form basis of further legal actions under the Waitangi Tribunal legislation many years later.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Section 16.3 (from the The Pouakani Report 1993, Waitangi Tribunal. Accessed 2008-01-16.)
  2. ^ Ohakuri (from the Mighty River Power website. Accessed 2008-02-13.)
  3. ^ Tall Geysers, Minority Geoscience Program, University of New Orleans. Accessed 2008-02-13.

[edit] External links

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