Winter is making its presence felt. Since last Thursday there has been rain followed by a high pressure system which has brought frosts followed by beautiful days. There are still a few lingering leaves to fall off deciduous trees to finish autumn. It has been a busy week with Waikato Regional Council having a field day on Monday to show and explain the work they are doing. Secondly work started on the Tongariro River Trail, Turangi loop.
I have put key developments on our Facebook page.
We’ve set up a Facebook page, to keep you updated on happenings, and for you to be able to give your views also. Like us on Facebook.
Fishing Report
It’s quiet on the river. There are few anglers about. There are fish in the river.
Field Trip with Waikato Regional Council
With Tony Charlton, I attended this trip. We went first to Kuratau to look at the problem of shore erosion. An expensive solution ($750-$1000 per meter) is being investigated to keep the public reserve which is being eaten away with each storm. Some suggest that the solution is simpler than that. The lake is controlled. Lower the lake level.
The weather dictated that we miss the Waiotaka wetlands. So we heard what was happening with the Tongariro River works. The work is a Flood Control Scheme. The scheme is designed to protect Turangi township for a 1:100 year flood. Such a flood is a 1500 cubic meters
In 2011 Waikato Regional Council was granted Resource Consent 121305. The consent authorised “Erosion control/flood prorection works:extraction of up to 150,000m3/year of river bed material including debris, erosion control works and vegetation removal, temporary diversion bunds and culvert crossings.” Resource Consenr 121306 authorised “Divert water and temporarily dam and divert water within the Tongariro River as required to exercise Resource Consent 121305.
Tongariro River Trail
For me it has been a rewarding week to have started completing the Turangi Loop of The Tongariro River Trail. The photos show some of the action we had for the 3 days that we had Peter MacPherson and Rob Evans released from Bike Taupo tracks to make great progress. The progress enables the Board walks to be installed. My previous reports tell that we are in the Roads Board reserve land and we are but it is in regenerating native vegetation.
On the downside is the incredible amount of rubbish disposed of by passing vehicles.
The Didymo Message
Dave Cade sent this email of his experience at the Auckland Boat Show.
Hi People,
The Check Clean Dry team had a stand at the recent Hutchwilco Boat Stand. Myself, Callum Bourke who is an ex fishery ranger from Turangi and Hadlee Cade manned the stand for the 4 days of the Boat Show. The estimated attendance at this years show was approx 36,000 people. Most of the attendees were predominantly salt water fishermen but many of them spend some time in the Rotorua or Taupo Lakes area. Their level of understanding of the Check Clean Dry programme is not that high. We also spoke with many salt water fishermen who are freshwater duckshooters and were unaware of how easily they could spread freshwater weeds, 2 eel fishermen who were moving around all over the place and had no idea about cleaning their gear. The onsite aquarium had Koi Carp, Catfish, Goldfish and Gambusia in it and raised all sorts of questions about pest fish, gave us a great opportunity to explain the damage they do to freshwater ways and the potential threat to the fisheries of the Central North Island. We were able to explain how they or the eggs could be transferred and how adherence to the Check Clean Dry programme would stop that happening. Lots of work but a great result.
If you want to put any info on your website that would be great, all help appreciated.
Cheers,
Didymo Dave
Eric Wilson
Secretary/Treasurer