Following images indicate how the most popular Tongariro “Town Pools” survived the 700+ cumec flood reasonably well last weekend.   Images taken on Monday when the Tongariro was still flowing at about 40 cumecs.  Today’s pics of the town pools from Tongariro Bridge to Kamahi.  Tomorrow we continue up-river to Red Hut Bridge.

Above is the usual wonderful view from the Tongariro River road bridge (SH1) looking down river over the Bridge Pool towards the Braids where the Swirl Pool used to be.

Earlier on there were about ten anglers lined up in the most popular pool on the river.

It looks very peaceful now…  On right is how it looked two days prior to the storm when the islands were submerged….

Above looking back at the bridge on Monday to compare to the flooded image.

From the “before” and “after” the height of the flood flow can be easily compared by the gap below the bridge.

During the flood huge logs and debris stacked up against the bridge supports.  These are now gone and turned into snags in the lower river.

View above the road bridge over the “Daisy Pool”.

During the flood all the bank pon the left of the image – TRB or True Right Bank in anglers jargon – disappeared completely.  This flood should encourage some BIG brown trout to sulk around the bridge where there is heaps of cover.  They usually only appear during the evening rise – about 9.30 pm.

Judges Pool TRB.  The two anglers at the top of the pool are keen TRM inmates – Einar Unneland & Maria Hallingby from Norway.  You should be able to spot the TRM hats…  They were not successful at Judges – the rapid from the Doctors Pool above the pool appears to have changedand thrown up some large boulders so it may take some time to settle down again.

The famous Major Jones Pool looks much the same from the Courtney Place bus stop in the foreground.  Perhaps the beach has stretched out further at the top of the pool?.

Looking down river from the Birches swingbridge at the end of Koura Street it appears the neck above Breakfast Pool has narrowed causing a more violent rapid into Breakfast Pool.

The scrub above the Breakfast Pool was flattened during the flood and the beach appears to have widened.  This is the local kids swimming hole in summer months so only good for fishing early mornings.

Hydro Pool appears much the same but no idea yet of what has happened below the surface.  It was still flowing a bit too fast for wading.

The stone marker which used to be a magnet for trout has gone and another popped up to replace it lower down closer to TLB.

The debris and tree trunks thrown up the banks is more evidence of how high and violent the flow was at over 700 cumecs.  Anglers will need to be more aware of snags in new locations throughout all the town pools.

Tomorrow the images continue up above the town pools to Red Hut with some access tracks wiped out – don’t miss it…