localmatters.co.nz
April 17, 2019
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Inside this issue
ANZAC cutbacks page 3
Winter Warmers The most fun you can have indoors Soil brought down from nearby developments by heavy rain turned the waters of Nukumea Stream brown, in what residents describe as the worst release of sediment in years. Photo, Bob Rodgers
pages 18 to 25
Stream bears brunt of Orewa development The once pristine waters of Nukumea Stream flowed brown, carrying a heavy load of silt out to sea at Orewa Beach after recent rain. The silt came from development upstream – something that Councillor John Watson describes as “environmental vandalism of the worst kind”. Last year Changda International, developer of Sunny Heights near the stream’s headwaters, was fined $300 by Auckland Council after large amounts of silt entered the stream from its site after heavy rain.
The latest incident, on Saturday April 6, again brought the degradation of local waterways and the marine environment into focus, angering local politicians as well as residents and scientists who have been restoring Nukumea stream. Chief among their concerns were the effects on 1000 native giant kokopu, which were released into the stream by NIWA last month, as well as likely damage to the stream environment and the shellfish beds off Orewa Beach. NIWA freshwater ecologist Dr Paul Franklin says giant kokopu
tolerate limited exposure to high concentrations of sediment. However, longer-term exposure has an impact and discharges during the spawning season would be a great concern. Freshwater scientist Sophie Tweddle, of Whitebait Connection, has been working on restoration of the stream for two years. She says sedimentation is a major and ongoing problem. “I reported a sediment release to Council last week, after heavy rain and heard nothing,” she says. “But this is a whole new level of destruction. I’ve never seen the sediment like this.
Planting we did last year is covered. I’m absolutely devastated.” Council’s regulatory compliance manager, Steve Pearce, says that the Changda development has consent for sediment discharge, however the exceptional amount of rain – 69mm was recorded in Orewa – put substantial pressure on erosion sediment devices. Council has been on site checking the devices. Water samples were taken for analysis, with results expected in a few weeks. continued page 2