Wednesday, 20 December 2023 to Thursday, 29 February 2024
Summertime swim-time, for us and whānau visiting from out of town. A reminder that swimming near dams or other structures in the water is very dangerous.
The water near dams has strong currents and suction effects. Water levels and flows can change quickly, and massive flows of water may be released at any time.
Follow the rules and read the signs - stay out of the 200m exclusion zone between the buoys and the dam – it’s the law.
Keep your friends and whānau safe this summer.
The Aratiatia Rapids are awesome.
- They are formed 4 times a day in summer when water from the Waikato River is released, creating surging rapids water.
- Mercury, the power generator, must do this, as part of the rules they operate under, and it recreates some of the amazingness of the rapids that naturally existed there before the dam and power station were built.
- Mercury is also allowed to release this water at other times, and it could happen at any time they need for the way they run the power station.
- The pools below the dam are beautiful but very dangerous.
- If you’re out near Aratiatia, follow the rules and signage and help other visitors know the dangers too.
- There’s plenty of awesome places to swim, but this isn’t one of them.
