Kaikoura Zone Committee meet for first time in 2015

The Kaikoura Zone Committee will meet for its first regular monthly meeting of the year on Wednesday, 28 January to discuss local water management issues.

The meeting will begin with the appointment of a chair and deputy chair for the coming year before community members are given a chance to contribute and ask questions.

The committee will then receive updates from its Nutrient Management and Water Efficiency, Love the Lyell / Waikōau, and Lake Rotorua working groups. As part of this the committee will receive an update on a Cawthron Institute Study on the ecological integrity of Canterbury high country lakes.

The study investigates relationships between nutrient loading and ecological integrity of sensitive lakes. The report focusses on the high country lakes, and predominantly the Ashburton Lakes but some findings will be useful for the Kaikoura zone.

The committee will finish the meeting with an update on a project to improve urban waterways, including Lyell Creek/Waikōau, which aims to improve water quality in the long term across the catchment.
The project seeks to develop a well informed and engaged urban community that is aware of the biodiversity value of the creek as well as the environmental impact it can have on its health and how this can be minimised.

The project is currently in the planning phase and monitoring information is being analysed to see what the main issues in the creek are and what can be done to address these. This may require further monitoring and work with landowners, residents and businesses to assess what impact they are having on the waterway.

Some public information is also being developed to help keep the community informed and engaged and this will be discussed at the end of the meeting.

The Kaikoura Zone Committee was launched in mid-2011 to address local water issues and deliver the goals of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

ENDS

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