Taylor Dam Outlet

I drove up to the Taylor Dam before the dogs and I went for our walk. This is a flood retention dam and now quite a wild-life refuge. Local Blippers often find inspiration in this lovely place. There is bird-life galore and reflections and tree-lined shores… There are plenty of scenes to capture.
I stood on the top of the culvert over the outlet of the dam to capture today’s image. The greens are so incredibly green this year. The willows are gearing up for bud burst hence their reddish hue. The north-west wind had yet to get up and blow so the reflections were lovely. There were no birds in sight on the outlet today. They were all on the main part of the dam doing their spring-like activities.
When there is heavy rain in the headwaters of the Taylor River this tranquil stream builds up enormously and the outlet can be throttled back in order to restrict the amount of water rushing through the culvert and downstream toward Blenheim. When this happens the waters rise in the dam itself, sometimes to such a level that the roads around the dam become inundated and the public access to the area is impossible. At those times we photographers and bird-watchers have to wait patiently for the waters to recede.