Dam the River

The people and the projects that powered New Zealand
  • 4.8 (6)
  • DOCUMENTARY

Dam the River is a podcast series written and presented by James Macbeth Dann, in which he looks at the history of hydroelectric power generation in New Zealand, and the social and political changes that that led to and resulted from these dams. jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

Episodes

  1. All's Well That Croms Well

    05/01/2022

    All's Well That Croms Well

    Way back in the distant past, I was working on a podcast series about hydro electric power stations in New Zealand. I did three episodes back before the baby, then there was a large gap. The fourth episode came out in 2020, but I couldn’t quite make it into an annual thing. The final episode is about Clyde Dam, and like the dam itself, this project blew through multiple deadlines (and also word limits). I even manage to shoe-horn a movie review into the middle. If you haven’t listened to the previous episodes, this will still make sense - but if you have time, you can go back and get up to speed with the story. As mentioned, I think it’s the last episode - I’ve covered off all the major dams - but never say never. Maybe I’ll do some bonus episodes about boutique dams that didn’t make the cut. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

    52 min
  2. Episode 4: A Man, A Plan, A Dam; Manapouri

    20/11/2020

    Episode 4: A Man, A Plan, A Dam; Manapouri

    Episode 4 of Dam the River, looking at the development of the Manapouri Power Scheme, the Tiwai Point Aluminum Smelter, and the rise of the environmental movement in opposition to it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

    37 min
  3. Episode 3: Power and Progress

    27/11/2018

    Episode 3: Power and Progress

    In Episode 3, we look at the expansion of the hydro-electric power network in the post-war period, as the growing country came to depend on electricity more and more. Workers moved into houses built by the government in specifically designed hydro towns while they constructed these dams. We cover the schemes on the Waikato, then head back to the South Island to look at Roxburgh, Benmore, Aviemore, and then finally the Cook Strait Cable that connected the two islands. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

    31 min
  4. Episode 2: From The Muddy Banks of the Waitaki

    12/09/2018

    Episode 2: From The Muddy Banks of the Waitaki

    Episode 2: From The Muddy Banks of the Waitaki. In this episode we look at the expansion in hydro power projects from the end of the First World War till the end of the second. This covers Parry's North Island schemes - Mangahao, Arapuni, and Waikaremoana, a look at all the industries driving the demand for electricity, and the smaller scheme at Monowai. Finally, we talk about the mighty Waitaki, the first major run-of-river scheme, that both harnessed a huge amount of water, and unleashed a huge wave of social change. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

    38 min
  5. Episode 1: It's Lit

    30/07/2018

    Episode 1: It's Lit

    Episode 1: It's Lit. In this series of podcasts, James Macbeth Dann looks into the history of hydro-electric power in New Zealand, how and why the dams were built, and the changes in society that led up to and resulted from these big pieces of infrastructure. The first episode looks at the early power schemes in New Zealand, including the Bullendale Scheme in Central Otago, the first public power scheme at Reefton, the dam at Waipori, and the government's first big dam at Lake Coleridge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

    32 min
  • 5 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Dam the River is a podcast series written and presented by James Macbeth Dann, in which he looks at the history of hydroelectric power generation in New Zealand, and the social and political changes that that led to and resulted from these dams. jamesmacbethdann.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    The people and the projects that powered New Zealand
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2022
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © James Macbeth Dann
  • Show Website
    Dam the River