www.
waikatoriver
.org.nz
FARMER DOUG SMITH HAS BEEN ON
THE SAME MANGAPIKO LAND ALL HIS
LIFE, LAND THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY
HIS GRANDFATHER.
So for him and wife Naomi to lend their support
to the Lower Managapiko Streamcare Group in
their quest to rehabilitate the Mangapiko Stream
between Te Awamutu and Pirongia seemed an
obvious thing to do.
Doug remembers having his legs stained black
for days after wading in the stream 40 or 50 years
ago. Back then he says the stream had major
pollution. There has been marked environmental
improvement since then but Doug and Naomi are
keen to see the stream back to something like it
was when his grandmother was a girl … crystal
clear water. Doug concedes this is probably not
feasible due to the land change that has happened
in the catchment but he says river bank planting
and clearing of willows will make another
significant improvement.
Doug has cleared the stream banks in readiness for
winter planting by the Streamcare Group which has
funding support from the Waikato River Authority
to help carry out the work.
There is 25 kilometres of stream to be improved,
the latest section of 6 kilometres has 3.5
kilometres bordering the Smith’s property.
Landowners
get behind
Streamcare Group
to clean up the
Mangapiko
Mangapiko Farmer Doug Smith explains the clean-up
story on his farm at an open day to view progress.
Thousands of native plants will be put in place on his
property in the coming winter.
A site called The Ripple Effect has all Waikato River Authority funded
projects mapped with supporting information about individual projects
behind each mapped point. There are more than 100 WRA projects
mapped including those from the 2013 funding round.
The numbered disks represent a cluster of projects in close proximity
that can be viewed by clicking on the disk. The site can be accessed via
the Waikato River Authority website or directly at
The Ripple Effect
A sample page looking at the mapped projects on The Ripple Effect website
for Waikato catchment environmental projects.
AN INITIATIVE FROM THE WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL
HAS SEEN CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE IN A
COMPREHENSIVE MAPPING OF ENVIRONMENTAL
RESTORATION PROJECTS IN THE WAIKATO CATCHMENT.
suspect several culprits. The most likely is the eel, or tuna, which are now
prevalent in the hydro lakes along the river since the start of an elver
transfer programme in the mid-1990s.
The water storage and flow management in the hydro lakes may have
contributed along with changes to water quality and habitats. Introduced
species such as catfish may also have been contributors to the koura
decline. Dr Clearwater says a combination of factors is likely.
The new NIWA survey is to focus on the deep, less accessible areas of
the river from Huka Falls, through Lakes Aratiatia, Ohakuri and Atiamuri.
It will include using divers, the traditional tau koura harvesting method
involving sinking large bunches of bracken to the river bed, and selective
electric fishing in tributaries above and beloweel barriers.
“From this we will gather information on how the koura populations are
doing and get an idea of what is affecting them.”
It is proposed the findings will be used to guide iwi in management
decisions about koura in their region.
Tracking down the koura ... (continued)
