Low Level Water Race - Victoria Battery
(HP Barry: Waihi Gold Mining Company’s Superintendent from 1891 to 1915 (McAra, p 146))
From: Papers and Reports Relating to Minerals and Mining, 1897
Pages 85 to 97
The company is erecting a new mill at Waikino, Owharoa, a description of which is given in the following extract from Mr. H. P. Barry's general report:—
The low-pressure system consists of the Ohinemuri Water-race, four miles and an eighth long, 12 ft. by 4 ft. deep, running for the most part on the south bank of the river, but will cross at one place to the north bank by a high trestle flume, and recross again to the south bank after a distance of about a quarter of a mile. These crossings, although expensive, were unavoidable, owing to the nature of the ground. With the exception of these flumes just referred to and a wrought-iron syphon-pipe 5 ft. in diameter and about 475 ft. long, the whole of the race has been carried through a ground-channel, so as to obviate the constant repairs that would inevitably be necessary after the elapse of a few years where fluming to any extent on a water-race obtains. The dam on the Ohinemuri, at the intake of this race, will be a strong and solid structure of masonry. It was considered advisable to do this rather than to construct it of wood, so as to prevent any possible danger in the future through the wood rotting and serious damage being done to dams, bridges, flumes, &c, further down the river. The extra cost will not be very great. The water from this race, which has a fall of 1 ft. in 2,000 ft., will be conducted to two 200-horse-power vortex turbines by a pipe-line 4ft. 6 in. in diameter, branching off into two pipes of 3ft. 6 in. in diameter, fitted with equilibrium-valves for each turbine.