3 August 2018

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has moved a step closer to identifying the region’s most treasured water bodies.

In June 2017, the Regional Council endorsed an approach, co-designed with Tāngata Whenua representatives of the Regional Planning Committee, to identify outstanding water bodies in Hawke’s Bay.

Staff carried out a high level review of 90 publications, which documented the cultural, recreation, landscape and ecology values associated with 130 water bodies across the region. The leader of this piece of work has been Senior Planner Belinda Harper.

“This was done to build a clearer picture of their value and potential for being classified as outstanding,” says Belinda.

“In May this year, the Regional Planning Committee agreed on a list of 21 candidate outstanding water bodies to be further assessed for a more detailed description of the values associated with each of these water bodies,” adds Belinda.

The candidate water bodies are:

Ahuriri Estuary - Te Whanganui a Orotū
Upper Mōhaka River (above Willowflat)
Lake Waikaremoana
Taruarau River
Ruakituri River
Lake Whakakī
Mangahauanga Stream
Wairoa River
Heretaunga Aquifer
Lake Whatumā
Tukituki River
Ruataniwha Aquifer
Upper Ngaruroro River (above Whanawhana)
Waipawa River
Lake Tūtira (incl Papakiri Stream & Aropaoanui River)
Karamū Stream
Lake Waikareiti
Lower Ngaruroro River (below Whanawhana)
Porangahau River
Makirikiri River
Waipunga River

“The secondary assessment work is now complete and is online at hbrc.govt.nz, plus we also want feedback on that secondary assessment work to help us improve this work on the Outstanding Water Body Plan Change,” says Belinda.

The findings of the secondary assessment work and consultation will be reported back to the Regional Planning Committee later this year.

This project is part of the Regional Council’s ongoing work to implement the Government’s National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

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