The Press: Quake brings cooler times at Welcome Flat

Paul Gorman of The Press writes about the effect of July’s big Fiordland earthquake on the temperature of celebrated hot pools at Welcome Flat.

The quake shifted the area 30 centimetres closer to Australia, and researchers have now discovered it also affected the temperature and water levels of springs and aquifers around the South Island.

An excerpt: (read the full story here)

“”It’s changed by about a degree – that’s not a lot but it has been sitting quite happily at that other temperature since at least the 1970s.

“”The whole plumbing system of the mountains has changed so the flow of cold water being pushed from higher up seems to be greater,” Cox said.”