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Looking Forward
Waikato River and Waipa River Restoration Strategy
» This master plan for the restoration of the catchment is now
underway and on track for completion in 2017. In the coming year
the Waipa section of the Strategy will be completed along with
progress on the upper Waikato River area and the lakes components.
The project is being led in a three-way partnership between
DairyNZ, Waikato Regional Council and the Waikato River Authority.
Five Year Report
» The Five Year Report from the Waikato River Authority to the Crown
and river iwi, as required under legislation, will be completed in
November 2015. This inaugural five year report is a significant
milestone for the Authority as it will address the effectiveness and
achievements of both the organisation and the implementation of
the Vision and Strategy.
Waikato River Report Card
» The publishing of the first comprehensive whole-of-river Report
Card will take place this year, and was prepared by NIWA, Waikato
Raupatu River Trust and Diffuse Solutions Ltd. The project brings
together a range of data sets at various points across the Waikato
and Waipa rivers to establish authoritative ‘score’ for the river
which will be used to benchmark future restoration and protection
of both rivers.
Completion of 5th Funding Round
» The 5th funding round for the Waikato River Authority will take
place in the coming year. There will be up to $6 million available to
qualifying clean-up projects. In the first four funding rounds 137
projects were funded with a total funding allocation of $22 million.
Funding decisions for the 5th funding round will be confirmed by
the Authority Board and announced at the Annual General Meeting
in November this year.
Healthy Rivers Plan
» Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai
will be adopted by the Waikato Regional Council during the 2015
-2016 year, prior to a public submission process. Healthy Rivers is
expected to make changes to the Waikato Regional Plan which will
help restore and protect the health of the Waikato and Waipa rivers.
The changes will be key to giving effect to the Vision and Strategy.
Awareness of the Authority
» Effort will be made in the coming year to continue to increase the
awareness and understanding of the role of the Waikato River
Authority. The release of the inaugural Waikato River Report Card
and surrounding publicity along with a new Authority video will
assist in this regard.
Review of Board membership
» The coming year will see three Authority board memberships,
Crown and iwi appointees, come up for review. Confirmation of
Board membership, with any changes, is expected to be made
before the end of 2015.
2014
$6m
allocated to
33 projects
2013
$5.5m
allocated to
33 projects
2012
$5m
allocated to
30 projects
2011
5.6m
allocated to
41 projects
137
PROJECTS
22
MILLION
$
Waikato River Authority
Annual Report
2015
5
www.
waikatoriver
.org.nz