flooding on Dart River Track,

[wayno]

Queenstown Lakes District Council
about an hour ago via Mobile
The Dart River has been blocked by a slip at Sandy Bluff, causing flooding at Dredge Flat and lowering the river flow considerably below the slip. GNS experts are assessing the situation and possible solutions. In the meantime DOC strongly advises trampers to avoid the Rees Dart circuit and QLDC Harbourmaster Marty Black warns boaties to stay off the Dart River. The danger includes flooding and surging water levels if the blockage in the river gives way suddenly. We'll post updates here as more information is available.

https://www.facebook.com/QLDCinfo

http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz20 ... luff/Otago

[wayno]

All trampers have been accounted for and confirmed safe after the Dart River was blocked by a massive valley landslip at Sandy Bluff, about 10km above Chinamans Bluff.
The landslip crashed down about noon on Saturday, authorities said, and they warned it posed hazards for trampers, campers and boat enthusiasts.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-la ... ndslip-dam

[wayno]

I"d estimate the lake would be 2k long

[forest]

Wow, Just off memory there already had been a large land slip there anyway. So is this one another blocking the river.

[wayno]

could just be the existing slip gave way even further, its been raining non stop since new years... loose scree so would have been full of water.... the photo in the last article looks like it was taken from around where the existing slip was

[forest]

Looking back up the Dark river with Chinamans Bluff in the shadowed right. You can see all the debris over the river and surounds from the slip on the left. The new one looks massive from that aerial view. Gees I though the one I walked past in 2012 looked big. I would have better pictures at home of the slip from Chinamans, only limited files on a flash drive at work today. I guess they don't matter anyway as the new one is clear over the top.
This was April 2012.

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IMG_3943.JPG (105.85 KiB) Viewed 31021 times

[wayno]

you can see the pre existing slip running up the mountainside on the right opposite the bluff..

and heres the flats stretching back a couple of k's

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flats.jpg (98.71 KiB) Viewed 31013 times

[wayno]

another shot of the pre existing slip.... tree on the left is blocking a lot of if but you can see the top and part of the bottom of it

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slip2.jpg (151.6 KiB) Viewed 31006 times

[wayno]

Queenstown Lakes District Council
3 hours ago
Update on the Dart River: GNS scientists have assessed the slip and say a lake about 4km long has been formed from Sandy Bluff upstream, covering the full width of the valley across Dredge Flat. Please contact DOC for information about the effects on trampers. GNS does not expect there will be any sudden surge of water released from the dam. On that basis, Harbourmaster Marty Black advises river users to stay alert for debris and changes in water level.

https://www.facebook.com/QLDCinfo?fref=ts

[wayno]

Dart Track closed between Bedford Bridge and Daley's Flat. Due to major slips and flooding this section of the Dart Track is closed until further notice.

Bedford Brudge is 3k down river from Sandy Bluff

http://doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation ... /#ReesDart

[wayno]

Dart River flowing again after landslide

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/ ... -landslide

[wayno]

news clip. may not be viewable from Aus

http://www.3news.co.nz/Dart-River-flowi ... fault.aspx

[wayno]

Doc conservation services manager John Roberts said many sections of the Dart Valley Track between Daleys Flat Hut and Bedford Stream ''are either underwater or are undercut and have fallen away''.

The track was closed between Daleys Flat Hut and Bedford Stream and would be for ''some time''.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-la ... g-landslip

[GPSGuided]

Thanks for the news clip. Viewed. Massive!

[wayno]

Doc plans detour past Dart flood
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-la ... dart-flood

[wayno]

aerial photo of the slip

Attachments

[wayno]

The massive landslip in the Dart Valley has changed the colour of Lake Wakatipu - temporarily, at least.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-la ... ise-tekapo

[wayno]

photos. of the track at the lake and slip

http://www.flickr.com/photos/go_wild/11879685696/

[wayno]

Queenstown Lakes District Council
Walking access through the Dart Valley should be reinstated by the end of the month, DOC advises. A route for a new section of track has been surveyed around the landslide and resulting new lake that blocked the track on 4 January. Intending trampers should contact DOC for more information.

[wayno]

New track to detour around Dart Valley lake and landslide

Walking access through the Dart Valley is set to be reinstated by the end of January. After several visits to the area DOC Rangers have now completed their survey of a new route around the large lake and massive landslide that blocked the track on the 4th January.

Senior Conservation Services Ranger Richard Kennett confirms "We have identified an alternative route for trampers that will take them safely past the affected area. A new track will now sidle above the recently formed lake on its eastern (true left) side, before leading trampers to the usual track over Sandy Bluff. After this point the track will then descend to the eastern (true left) bank of the river. More changes will be required here when the landslide has forced the river to erode the bank and undercut the track. As the realigned track will remain on the true left of the Dart River, the landslide debris will be avoided altogether."

http://www.scene.co.nz/new-track-around ... 404a1.page

[wayno]

[Giddy_up]

Looks just like concrete being poured from a truck wayno.

[wayno]

short technical description of the slip with photos
http://juliansrockandiceblog.blogspot.c ... slide.html

[nate]

When is your best guess that the dart-rees track will be open again ? Or does a good diversion already exist on it ?

[wayno]

Doc are building a new track around the lake now, the last estimate they gave for the track to be reopened was the end of January

they should update their alerts page when the track has been reopened

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... /#ReesDart

[wayno]

http://www.glenorchycommunity.co.nz/201 ... r-blocked/

SLIP STREAM – TE KOROKA UPDATE FROM 16th JANUARY 2014
The new lake on Dredge Flat continues to rise and fall on a regular basis.

DOC staff have noticed a 1/2m drop over the past week, but this could be reversed with as little as 30mm rainfall according to GNS scientists.
Today 2 massive rockfalls were heard and seen as the slip continues to fracture and collapse.
Large quantities of sludge also continue to run off the hill into the river.
Rangers will begin track cutting a safe high line around the lake next week (weather permitting) and it is hoped that trampers will be able to start using this part of Rees-Dart Track shortly after.
Richard Kennett
Senior Ranger / Conservation Services, Glenorchy Field Base, Wakatipu Area, GLENORCHY
Department of Conservation—Te Papa Atawhai

[wayno]

SLIP STREAM – TE KOROKA UPDATE FROM 24th JANUARY 2014
It would seem that the Rees/Dart Track will be open to through traffic on Monday.
The track is a marked and cut route only, heavy rain may prevent people from crossing some of the side creeks along Dredge Flat.
People should allow another 1-2 hour to their trip over the stated times between Daleys and Chinamans.
We will let people know if the track is ready for use any sooner.

http://www.glenorchycommunity.co.nz/201 ... r-blocked/

video
http://vimeo.com/84879078

[wayno]

THe track is open again

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-storie ... -tramping/