Digging up the past

Otago Regional Council contractors use a sonic drill rig to take core samples (inset) at 1.5m intervals on the Taieri River stopbank at Outram yesterday.

The work is part of a two-week drilling and material-testing programme for the 1.5km Outram floodbank.

The work on the about 120-year-old floodbank will be used when planning future improvements, the council says.

Engineering manager Michelle Mifflin said the council was curious about the underground geology and hydrology in the area, as well as the material makeup of one of the council’s oldest assets.