The 1883 flood that damage the Wainuiomata dam.
In 1883, the Wainuiomata dam sustained significant damage due to flooding, prompting an inspection by members of the Wellington City Council and other officials. The visit was organised to assess the extent of the damage and determine whether to grant an extension to the contractor, Mr G. H. Bayliss, for completing the project. Upon arrival, the party observed a large gap in the concrete face of the dam, where part of the wall had been washed away by the powerful floodwaters. Additionally, the filling at the back of the dam, intended to support the overflow of surplus water, had been completely washed out. This area had been near completion before the flood, and the damage could have been avoided if the filling had been coated with boulders and cement which was mere weeks away from being done. The force of the flood was reportedly so strong that it not only removed the filling but also gouged out a hole several feet deep in the solid rock at the base of the dam. Mr Bayliss sought compensation for the damage, arguing that he was not responsible for this unusual natural event. The councillors unanimously denied his request, arguing that if the job had been completed on time, the dam would have been finished before the weather event occurred.
In another article dated 24 January 1884, it says that the “The workmen’s huts very narrowly escaped being washed away by the irresistible torrent”. In the above photo, it shows two buildings precariously perched on the edge of a bank carved out by the flood. If these are indeed the huts in question, this may be the only existing image of the dam worker huts.
The building on the far left and the workmen’s huts near the flood damage appear to have almost vanished in photos taken just a few years later. These were likely temporary structures built to accommodate workers and were probably dismantled, with the materials repurposed.
