Ecosystem Actions

Maintaining and improving ecosystem health requires evidence-based measurement, monitoring and management. We need to address invasive pests, reduce the impacts from sediments, nutrients, bacteria, protozoans, and pollutants entering waterways, enhance wetlands and provide protection for native fish.

Below is the list of actions related to urban development as identified in the Community Catchment Plan. The actions show the current status of progress and who is responsible for their achievement.

22
Otago Regional Council
Started

Education campaigns to prevent introduction and spread of invasive species identified in the ORC Pest Management Plan

Support and extend education campaigns for public to prevent any further introduction and/or spread of invasive species identified in the ORC Pest Management Plan, namely Lagarosiphon, and other specified terrestrial and aquatic weeds.

Progress

ORC is working actively with WAI Wanaka’s Jobs For Nature team to support and extend education campaigns for public to prevent any further introduction and/or spread of invasive species identified in the ORC Pest Management Plan, namely Lagarosiphon, and other specified terrestrial and aquatic weeds. ORC is also working throughout the Upper Basin to implement the Pest Management Plan.

Related links


Implementation

Ongoing and as part of ORC’s and QLDC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process.
ORC Communications team.
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Advocacy and input on policy, including PCE invasive species project.

Collaborative Agencies:
WAI Wānaka Ministry for Primary Industries BiosecurityNZ Department of Conservation LINZ
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
23
WAI Wānaka
Ongoing

Education campaigns to prevent introduction and spread of invasive species (not included in the ORC Pest Management Plan)

Support and extend education campaigns for public to prevent any further introduction and/or spread of invasive species not included in the ORC Pest Management Plan, namely Lake Snow and Didymo, and any other pest species not yet identified as a risk or concern.

Progress

Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment is currently scoping an Invasive Species project.


Implementation

Ongoing and as part of ORC’s and QLDC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process.
ORC Communications team.
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Advocacy and input on policy, including PCE invasive species project.

Collaborative Agencies:
Ministry for Primary Industries BiosecurityNZ LINZ Department of Conservation
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
24
Otago Regional Council
Started

Complete current research on Lake Snow

Complete current research on Lake Snow and how it can be reduced or eradicated.

Progress

Research already underway through ORC and other research institutions.


Implementation

Any further research could be sought through ORC’s and QLDC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process, or external research funding.

Collaborative Agencies:
Researchers Funders
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
25
BiosecurityNZ
Not started

Advocate for additional Didymo research

Advocate for additional research on how Didymo can be reduced or eradicated.

Implementation

As part of ORC’s and QLDC’s and ORC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process.

Collaborative Agencies:
Guardians of Lake Wānaka Guardians of Lake Hāwea WAI Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
26
ORC_LINZ
Started

Ongoing Lagarosiphon management

Continue management of Lagarosiphon as prescribed in the ORC Pest Management Plan and LINZ Lagarosiphon Management Plan.

Implementation

Support research.

Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
27
WAI Wānaka
Scoping

Advocate for changes to management of Lagarosiphon

Advocate for changes to Lagarosiphon management if perceived deficient, with focus on non-chemical management.

Implementation

Through consultation on any revisions of ORC’s Pest Management Plan.

Collaborative Agencies:
Guardians of Lake Hāwea Guardians of Lake Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation
28
WAI Wānaka
Not started

Advocate for further research into appropriate chemical spray setbacks from waterways

Advocate for further research into appropriate chemical spray setbacks from waterways for weed control and fertiliser applications.

Progress

Implement ORC’s Pest Management Plan.


Implementation

Through ORC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process.

Collaborative Agencies:
Guardians of Lake Hāwea Guardians of Lake Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
29
Otago Regional Council
Started

Weed control and fertiliser application education

Educate landowners and contractors on relevant rules and standards for weed control and fertiliser applications. Educate landowners and contractors on best practice and guidelines for weed control and fertiliser applications.

Progress

ORC undertook extensive consultation as part of Pest Management Plan development.


Implementation

Implement ORC’s Pest Management Plan.
ORC Communications team.
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy. Identify behaviours to be encouraged and to be discouraged.

Collaborative Agencies:
Industry Bodies WAI Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
30
Otago Regional Council
Started

Advocate for fish passages

Advocate for necessary controls and programmes to ensure all future instream structures provide for appropriate fish passage (e.g. trout/salmon or indigenous fish depending on the waterway).

Understand whether existing fish passage programmes are meeting community expectations and existing conditions of consents.


Implementation

Ongoing as part of submissions on notified consent applications. 2020-2026 as part of consultation and notification on the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Collaborative Agencies:
Contact Energy Department of Conservation Guardians of Lake Wānaka Guardians of Lake Hāwea Whaiao
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 11:11 - Sustainable cities and communities UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
31
Contact Energy
Started

Implementation of the Clutha dams’ consent conditions

Continue to oversee the implementation of the Clutha dams’ consent conditions including those addressing fish migration.

Progress

Ongoing.

Collaborative Agencies:
Otago Regional Council
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 11:11 - Sustainable cities and communities
32
Otago Regional Council
Not started

Fish passage as part of the FMU process

Address fish passage as part of the FMU (Freshwater Management Unit) process for the Clutha/Mata-au main stem.

Implementation

2020-2026 as part of consultation and notification on the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Read more about the Otago Regional Councils FMU’s here.

Collaborative Agencies:
WAI Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
33
Otago Regional Council
Started

Improving eel and lamprey passages

Discuss possible additional opportunities for improving eel and lamprey passage at the Roxburgh, Clyde and Hawea dams, as part of the FMU process for the Clutha/Mata-au main stem.

Implementation

2020-2026 as part of consultation and notification on the new Land and Water Plan for the region.


AUG 2022: ORC comments – Our science team has been evaluating streams for endangered fish species/fish barriers to get an idea of what future work plans should look like.

Collaborative Agencies:
Contact Energy Department of Conservation Whaiao
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
34
Otago Regional Council
Started

Aquatic life objectives for fish

If required by the National Policy Statement (NPS) for freshwater management, establish a work programme to improve the extent to which existing structures achieve the Council’s aquatic life objectives for fish. This includes identifying existing instream structures and prioritising structures for remediation.

Progress

Dependent on National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.


Implementation

2020-2026 as part of consultation and notification on the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
35
Otago Regional Council
Started

Wetland protection and restoration

Advocate for rules and policies to prevent further development by projects which diminish any wetland. Encourage wetland creation/re-instatement; and advocate for ORC and QLDC to assist with, or develop, wetland restoration programs.

Progress

Regionally significant wetlands managed through the ORC Regional Water Plan.


Implementation

2020-2026 as part of consultation and notification on the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Collaborative Agencies:
QLDC WAI Wānaka Guardians of Lake Hāwea Guardians of Lake Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
36
WAI Wānaka
Scoping

Promote re-vegetation of existing wetlands

Promote re-vegetation of existing wetlands through riparian planting projects and the expansion of existing wetlands, in collaboration with, or with the assistance of, ORC and QLDC.

Progress

  1. Glendhu wetland has been planted and maintained as part of the Wānaka Water Project in partnership with Te Kākano.
  2. Action Group workshops and on-farm sessions to come up with a plan and actions to re-vegetate wetlands.
  3. Embracing Te Taiao – On the Farm‘ resources encourage detailed local learning around wetlands and riparian planting, action projects and field trips to visit wetland sites.
Collaborative Agencies:
QLDC Otago Regional Council Department of Conservation
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
37
Otago Regional Council
Scoping

Monitoring buoy(s) on Lake Wānaka

Support ORC to locate monitoring buoy(s) on Lake Wānaka and to undertake research to improve understanding of lake hydrology.

Progress

Work to establish monitoring buoy in Lake Wānaka already underway at ORC. View media release from 11 Nov 2022 here.


Implementation

Funding through ORC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process and other sources

Collaborative Agencies:
WAI Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
38
WAI Wānaka
Scoping

Monitoring buoy(s) on Lake Hāwea

Advocate for a monitoring buoy(s) on Lake Hāwea and to undertake research to improve understanding of lake hydrology.

Progress

Work with potential funders for a buoy on Lake Hāwea underway.


Implementation

Funding through ORC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process and other independent sources.

Collaborative Agencies:
Otago Regional Council Funders
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation UN Sustainable Development Goal 17:17 - Partnerships for the goals
39
WAI Wānaka
Started

Knowledge gaps

Advocate for increased monitoring and research to fill in knowledge gaps identified in the Community Catchment Plan. This includes, for example, increased representative samples taken across lake-wide sites to measure the key attributes in the draft NPS-FM.

As part of the literature review for the Community Catchment Plan, a full list of current gaps in our understanding of the catchment has been developed. This is broken down into research gaps and monitoring gaps. The next steps would be to discuss these gaps with both the regional and district authorities and freshwater experts to determine their importance and which of these are essential for informing lake water quality / ecosystem management, along with timeframes to complete them.

Links


Progress

  1. Two funded studies on first flush stormwater and urban stream macroinvertebrates. (2020)
  2. Basin wide water testing programme with farmers and encouraging a range of other techniques that give an overall picture of water quality. (since 2020)
  3. eDNA data collected during a WAI Wānaka’s internship programme. (2021)
  4. Citizen science and volunteer programmes such as ‘Take a Walk on the Wild Side‘ involve some urban water data collection elements. (since 2021)
  5. ‘Conserving the Invisible’ project with DoC, ORC and Fish and Game to protect Flathead Galaxiids. (2022)
  6. Funded study undertaken by NIWA to undertake hydrological modelling within Roys Bay. (2022)

Implementation

Funding through ORC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process and other independent sources such as research entities and private funders.

Collaborative Agencies:
Otago Regional Council Researchers Funders
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation UN Sustainable Development Goal 17:17 - Partnerships for the goals
56
Otago Regional Council
Scoping

Allocation limit for water abstractions

Establish an allocation limit for water abstractions from Lakes Wānaka and Hāwea, as well as other rivers within the catchment. Guardians to assist ORC with interpretation of “protected” status of Lake Wānaka from the Act in respect of these allocation limits.

Implementation

2020-2026 as part of the preparation of the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Collaborative Agencies:
WAI Wānaka Guardians of Lake Hāwea Guardians of Lake Wānaka
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation
57
Otago Regional Council
Scoping

Maintaining base flow of rivers

Advocate for baseflow to be maintained at all times where possible (exceptions where rivers naturally run subsurface in summer e.g. Cardrona River).

Implementation

2020-2026 as part of the preparation of the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation
58
Otago Regional Council
Started

Maintain or improve ecosystem health in the Clutha / Mata-Au

As part of the Freshwater Management Unit (FMU) process for the Clutha/Mata-Au, assess issues and options to maintain or improve ecosystem health in the Clutha/Mata-Au.

Progress

Business as usual for ORC


Implementation

2020-2026 as part of the preparation of the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

AUG 2022: ORC comments – The Upper Lakes and Dunstan FMU first consultation for the LWRP has happened with the second scheduled for the second half of 2022

Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15:15 - Life on land
59
WAI Wānaka
Scoping

Impacts of groundwater levels

Advocate for further investigation of groundwater levels and the inter-relationship between groundwater and lake levels, along with impacts of lake level changes on ecosystems / habitats and on flows and migration patterns.

Progress

  • Engagement with ground water scientists ex Canterbury University re ground water levels.
  • NIWA engaged for Lake Modelling, including change / impacts on ecology.

Implementation

2020-2026 as part of the preparation of the new Land and Water Plan for the region.

Collaborative Agencies:
Otago Regional Council Guardians of Lake Wānaka Guardians of Lake Hāwea Researchers
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6:6 - Clean water and sanitation
60
WAI Wānaka
Not started

Access to lake and river shorelines

Advocate for access to lake and river shorelines being maintained or expanded and any further modification or development (urban or rural) of lake or river shorelines within a defined margin being prevented.

Progress

Would depend on existing zoning, land ownership and ORC Regional Plans. This action requires further consideration in relation to responsibilities and how it could be practically applied.


Implementation

This will be part of consultation and notification on the Regional Policy Statement (2020) and the new Land and Water Plan for the region (to be notified in 2023).

Collaborative Agencies:
Otago Regional Council QLDC Guardians of Lake Wānaka Guardians of Lake Hāwea LINZ
Related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
UN Sustainable Development Goal 11:11 - Sustainable cities and communities

EXPLORE THE OTHER ACTIONS

Man with plants near a lake and young trees

LAND MANAGEMENT


lake Wānaka waterfront walkway

URBAN DEVELOPMENT


People in a room listening to someone talk

COLLABORATION


Aerial image of lake Hāwea and Wānaka at the neck

MĀTAURANGA MĀORI


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