We have a vested interest in the success of this venture as we are one of the three recipients of profits. The weather is creating some anxiety. I received the following email this morning:

Some of you in the area may have noticed a little bit of wet weather, as [...]]]> Christmas In The Vines

We have a vested interest in the success of this venture as we are one of the three recipients of profits. The weather is creating some anxiety. I received the following email this morning:

Some of you in the area may have noticed a little bit of wet weather, as I type ‘River’ Vineyard is becoming a ‘River’ once again BUT never fear we have a wet weather plan!

We have an Ark……..an 8m long by 4m wide by 3m high inflatable Noah’s Ark….however Julie has just told me that an inflatable Ark is not a very ‘professional’ wet weather strategy for Christmas in the Vines…..if the rain continues I think it will be very practical!

The weather forecasts for Sunday look OK! Sunday Morning Temperature: 14°C  Sunny with cloudy periods, Sunday Afternoon Temperature: 17°C Sunny with cloudy periods with a slight chance of showers.

So we look good to go however should the weather not cooperate I will make a call by 9am Sunday morning and send a mass email out to cancel the event, I would ask that you in turn let your contacts know.

The event and line up for Christmas in the Vines 2011 is looking great with performers from around the district including Mirage Middle Eastern Dancers, Pumice Valley Whoopee Band, Sweet Az Jazz, Jake Taewa and his band, Clint Green with Friends and Lois to name just a few!

For the kids we have the GIANT inflatable Noah’s Ark and the slightly older kids we have the Turangi Wild Bull Ride…..can you tame him?

Come and check out Coastgurad Turangi who will have their display caravan on site, thinking of a new or used car? Come and see the Taupo Motor Company who will have a display of the latest Suzuki cars.

Planning on getting married then come and meet Donna of Taupo Weddings to see how she can make you day extra special!

Got something to sell? Bring your unwanted stuff, bric a brac or craft items and for a gold coin donation rent a table to sell your stuff and make a few bucks before Christmas, tables are limited!

Don’t forget the first ever District Chicken Races……we will have chickens to ‘borrow’ if you don’t have one however bring your own if you can, we will have holding pens and chickens will race within a chicken wire arena, for a gold coin donation you could be in with a chance to win a gold pair of chicken feet…….not real gold!

The Lamb Spit Roast, Candy Floss, Pop corn, Ice Cream, BBQ and hot potatoes are sure to go down well!

Best of all come and relax, laugh, have fun, meet your friends, neighbours, community and help raise funds for three very worth while causes with direct benefit to our community, Coastguard Turangi, Turangi Playground and Tongariro Cycle & Walking Track!

See you on Sunday down at River Vineyard! www.riverwines.co.nz

Please visit Vine Aid on Facebook and ‘LIKE” our page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vine-Aid-2011-Christmas-in-the-Vines/196560663706982

DoC’s fishing report.

This fishery is managed by the Department of Conservation (DoC) and until now they have not updated angler’s on the fishery as they see matters. This has changed and the fishery is now on the DoC website. The secret is easy access to the site.

www.doc.govt.nz

and in the search option put in Taupo Trout Fishery.

In column 1 is the Fishing Report which covers the whole of the fishery as against our interest, the Tongariro River.

I am unable tonight to comment on the fishing in the Tongariro River and have chosen to copy DoC’s report for December for the Tongariro River.

Fishing the Tongariro

Once these fish have finished spawning they slowly make their way downstream and barring any major floods during early summer can provide some good sport on the dry fly during the evening rise. A small dry fly such as a Griffiths Gnat or an Adam’s dry has been working well from 8.30pm until dark especially in the lower reaches of the Tongariro River. Generally the small fish start rising first but as darkness falls a mixture of fresh run rainbows, resident fish and spent fish can be caught during the numerous mayfly and caddis hatches. A deer hair sedge skated across the surface at the tail of a pool often produces results on dark.

With the upper reaches of the main rivers now open for fishing since the 1st of December, a dry fly and dropper set-up can also be productive during the day. A bushy dry fly becomes your indicator in the low and clear conditions and fish will actively take the small nymph hanging below on a short trace. Once again, the majority of these fish will have just finished spawning and so are not suitable for eating but nevertheless put up a sporting fight on light gear. Check your licence or refer to the Taupo Fishery regulations to see what areas are now open to fishing.

Tongariro at Turangi – 1 Month River-flow

The river has moved into flood, we have had to 9.00pm tonight 63.8mm and expect more rain overnight. Floods at this time of the year are expected.

Next Update and Christmas Greetings

Our next update will be in January.

I thank our members for your support and wish our members and readers a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year (with more and bigger fish).

Iwould also like to thank our web manager, Mike Forret for his continual help to me in putting these updates together.

I also thank all stakeholders with whom we have established a cordial working relationship

Eric Wilson

Secretary/Treasurer

Vine Aid Christmas in the Vines 18th December 2011 2pm – 8pm

Vine Aid Poster (940kb pdf) (Please download and print) Following on from our inaugural Vine Aid earlier on in the year we are going to hold a regular event in December each year, Vine Aid Christmas in [...]]]> Christmas in the Vines

Vine Aid Christmas in the Vines 18th December 2011
2pm – 8pm

Vine Aid Poster (940kb pdf) (Please download and print)
Following on from our inaugural Vine Aid earlier on in the year we are going to hold a regular event in December each year, Vine Aid Christmas in the Vines!
Live Music & Entertainment on the Riverway Homes Stage, BBQ, Spit Roast, Chicken Racing, Christmas Bring and Buy Sale, Father Christmas, Bouncy Castle, Candy  Floss, Pop Corn & everything Christmas! A none profit charity event organised by the Vine Aid Charitable Trust with all proceeds being split between three local community  groups.
1.      Tongariro  walking/cycle track.
2.      Turangi Playground.
3.      Coastguard Turangi.
Entry is a gold coin donation.

We are grateful to Bob and Julie Neville for their support for the Tongariro River Trail project.

A Festive Hello from River Vineyard and Restaurant Turangi!
www.riverwines.co.nz

Visit to the Rangipo Dam

Committee members, Virginia Church, John Wheeler, Eric Wilson and Neville Young visited the Rangipo Dam with Genesis staff members, Bonny Lawrence, Environmental Manager, Neil Jelley, Hydrologist and Charlotte Fletcher, Environmentalist on Monday 5 December 2011.

We had a frank, informative discussion.

We visited because we have raised the issue of severe sedimentation in the river downstream of the State Highway 1 bridge (SH1). We asked if the cause was the discharge of sediment from the Rangipo Dam and Genesis was keen to show us the workings of the Rangipo Dam and make the point that the operation of the Dam is not responsible for the sedimentation we have seen.

We accept the following factors:

• the total reservoir is small in size and not able to hold the levels of sediment that we have seen in the lower river after flushing
• the area where sediment is trapped is limited to an area smaller than a rugby field

• that the reservoir fills quickly and in flood overflows taking sediment with it

• that the sediment in the settling area is flushed only in times of a flood of more than 100 cumecs (but only on selected floods.)

So where has the sediment come from?

The explanation given is

• Unconsolidated Volcanic Ash on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu can clearly be seen along the Rangipo Desert
• In January 2011 cyclone Norma dumped torrential rainfall in this usually low rainfall area moving a huge amount of sediment in the Whangaehu and Tongariro catchments.
• That the sediment is carried in pulses in times of flood
• That it will take some time to move this sediment through the river
• That the river slows just below the SH1 bridge and dumps the sediment in the area we call the Braids and that only sand and silt is carried beyond that point

So what are the implications. We argue that

• the river previously had a gravel bottom to the point of entry to the Lake and was deep enough to allow boats with a reasonable draft to go upstream as far as the Downs pool.
• the river is unabe to carry the sediment into the lake as the energy of the river has been reduced (this has not been reduced in flood flows over 160 m3/s at Poutu Intake)
• the problem is made worse by a lake level that is higher for longer than pre control gates (Not a Genesis issue).

The counter argument presented is

• that from SH1 bridge downstream the area  is a delta which is a developing landform and as such grows from deposition of sediment which is what we are seeing and that if left to its own devices given the existing flow level and lake level the river will open a new mouth to the lake. Currently this looks like it will flow through Deep Creek and enter the lake alongside the Tokaanu tailrace.
• that if there was no Hydro scheme on the river then this would still happen.
• As such it is a community issue as to what should happen in this section of the river. Let the river behave as it wants to or intervene.

In conclusion

I can’t blame Genesis for the Mt Ruapehu eruption nor for cyclone Norma. I do accept that most sediment is carried in times of flood. I also accept that the Rangipo Dam has an insignificant impact on the deposition of sediment that I have seen in the river.

Genesis have offered to bring Graeme Smart to Turangi for a public meeting to explain the processes that are happening on the river and to discuss the implications and consider a desired community outcome.

Report Protecting NZ’s Rivers released.

Read it online: http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/getting-involved/nz-conservation-authority-and-boards/nz-conservation-authority/protecting-new-zealands-rivers/

The report sets out the issues facing our rivers. It is well worth a read.

Tongariro at Turangi – last 3  months River-flow

Eric Wilson

Secretary/Treasurer

We have persevered with the development of the Tongariro River Trail. We have spoken with Turangitukua and have sought their support. We are awaiting their decision. We decided to complete the section linking Turangi to the Red Hut bridge.  We have received a grant of $50,000 from Taupo District [...]]]> The Walking Cycling Trail

We have persevered with the development of the Tongariro River Trail. We have spoken with Turangitukua and have sought their support. We are awaiting their decision. We decided to complete the section linking Turangi to the Red Hut bridge.  We have received a grant of $50,000 from Taupo District Council and the Turangi Tongariro Community Board, to scope the whole trail. We require $70,000 to develop the Turangi to Red Hut section. I am pleased to announce that we are being supported by the Christmas in the Vines event on 18th December.

18th December 2pm – 8pm

Location:

River Vineyard & Restaurant Turangi

Live Music and Entertainment, BBQ, Spit Roast, Bring and Buy Sale, Father Christmas, Bouncy Castle, Candy Floss, Pop Corn and Everything Christmas!

A none profit charity event organised by the Vine Aid Charitable Trust with all profits being split between three local community groups.

1. Tongariro walking/cycle track.
2. Turangi Playground.
3. Coastguard Turangi.

River Works

There is no evidence that work has started on the next section of willow removal from the Reed Pool to DeLatours Pool though I checked the area on Tuesday afternoon.

In Update #24 I wrote of the work by Graeme Smart.

The Journal of Hydro;ogy New Zealand, Vol 50 Number 1, June 2011 is a special issue: Sediment Flux, morphology and river management. The article pages 161 – 179 Conceptualization of sediment flux in the Tongariro Catchment , Gary J Brierly, Helen E Reid and Stepen E Coleman.

The authors are staff at Auckland University, Brierly and Reid from the School of Environment and Coleman from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The Abstract  states  that the area of concern is the area we call “The Braids.”  Specifically they write:

“the reach has acted as an efficient trap for gravel sized materials, such that further downstream, the meandering and multi-channelled delta reaches comprise sand-sized materials. These latter reaches have shown negligible channel adjustmants over the last 80 years. Collectively, these inter-related controls determine variability is sediment availability in the Tongariro Catchment over time, thereby exerting a dominant influence upon sediment flux. Human disturbance is concluded to have had a negligible impact  on sediment flux in this resilient system.”

On Page 176 the authors write:

“The imprint of the volcanic setting upon sediment flux on the Tongariro catchment is so prominent that system responses to human disturbance have been limited… Although dams have altered the flow regime of the river, impacts upon sediment flux have been well managed  and no major changes to channel planform are evident. The increase in the frequency of high water levels in Lake Taupo causes a backwater effect, reported to extend 3 km upstream of the delta, enhancing landward movement  of saturated soils and the area of wetland (Tonkin and Taylor 1999: Esser and Rosen, 2000). Increased flooding and aggradation may have affected the extent of deposition and braiding, especially fo;;owing the instalation of the control gates in 1941 (Smart 1999; Fig 4)As a result, the primary sediment managent issue in this catchment relates to ongoing adjustments in the braided reach, and associated management strategies via stopbanks and gravel extraction. In a sense, stopbanks can transfer problems downstream  and require ongoing maintenance. Unless gravel extraction is undertaken in a sustainable manner, problems will ensue and channel adjustments are likely to be accelerated.”

In conclusion

“The Tongariro catchment is quite resilient. Human disturbance has not had a profound impact on sediment flux in this river system. The primary sediment management issue in this catchment relates to ongoing adjustments in the braided reach, and associated management via stopbank construction and gravel xtraction.”

What am I to make of this article and the article by Graeme Smart? My observations of what is happening in the river is not supported by scientific study. But in 30 years I have noted the braiding that saw the loss of the Breakaway Pool, the huge build up of gravels at the tail of the Millrace,  the development of Deep Creek into a significant outlet in times of flood, the closur of the Blind mouth, the closure of the Hook, the reduction of the First Mouth to a trickle. But I would agree that the river is mainly in the same channel since the 1930′s.

I am interested in the statement ” The increase in the frequency of high water levels in Lake Taupo causes a backwater effect, reported to extend 3 km upstream of the delta” given our submission on the erosion stategy around Lake Taupo not being accepted.

The Tongariro is not being ignored as these papers show. They raise a lot of questions.

Fishing Report

I observed anglers fishing without competition and anglers still catching fish but generally it is quiet as this photo looking up stream from the Admirals pool.  As I wrie it is drizzling outside yet again and I have the fire going. Its still spring with winter still having an influence.

and upstream to the Kamahi pool shows.

Tongariro at Turangi -3 Month River-flow 

Finally

An reminder that it is the Round Taupo cycle ride involving 10,000 riders and that it is Election Day Saturday.

I advise that there will be no Thursday Update next week.

Eric Wilson

Secretary/Treasurer

There is no evidence of work having started from where the previous willow clearance had finished.

There was one lone angler fishing the tail of the Log Pool.

The issue of the river from the State Highway 1 bridge to the Delta.

Graeme Smart, NIWA Scientist, has written a number of studies [...]]]> River Works

There is no evidence of work having started from where the previous willow clearance had finished.

There was one lone angler fishing the tail of the Log Pool.

The issue of the river from the State Highway 1 bridge to the Delta.

Graeme Smart, NIWA Scientist, has written a number of studies on the Tongariro River and the problem of the Delta.  This report is published  by Tsinghua University Press, Beijing. The latest report, was  “commissoned by the Grace Family of Ngati Turangitukua and Ngati Hikaairo and the iwi of Ngati Tuwharetoa funded the project.”, The report is titled Pre-empting flood avulsion and 2D modelling.

The summary concludes that “if left to its own devices the Tongariro River is likely to change course in a flood and form a new mouth at the exit of the Tokaanu tailrace.

To try to improve  on the present flooding situation and avoid adverse effects of unpredictable future avulsion the following options were suggested:

• Dredging of the main mouth into Lake Taupo
• Cutting a channel from near Downs pool towards the Tokaanu tailrace
• Forming a channel to cut off the most downstream meander bend
• Digging a channel from the closest meander to Lake Taupo into Lake Taupo”

Pros and cons of these actions, “the results of simulating the proposed modifications are shown in Table 1

A final more natural option  could possibly be by vegetation control.

My summary is a summary and lacks the full explanation.

Genesis Energy  want to bring Graeme Smart to Turangi to speak on the issues of the Delta.

Fishing Report

There are a few anglers around. This angler had the Bridge Pool to himself on the two occasions I crossed the Bridge today.

The Blue Duck

I am unaware of further reports about Blue Ducks in the last week. In my report last week I reported on the Genesis fund supporting Blue Duck restoration. A reader wrote to me to say that the local Blue Duck Initiative was having a greater effect through the control of stoats, weasels and rats. The traps certainly work and I have seen evidence of their success. I certainly applaud the effots of the Trust and have done so in previous updates. Likewise Josie from Graces Road set traps in the area below the bridge without fanfare.

While I have not yet been able to get a photo of this season’s Blue Duck family, the  California Quail are around again making their presence known.

Tongariro at Turangi – River-flow for the month

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge

Date: November 26. This is NZ’s largest cycling event with over 10,000 riders participating.

Moving across State Highway 1 is not easy in Turangi on Saturday 26th November..

It’s also Election Day.

A very busy day in Turangi.

Eric Wilson

Secretary/Treasurer