Councillor Kevin Malcolm, who amended and proposed a new resolution (below), says the report, which was considered at a full ORC meeting in Dunedin today, presented a proposed monitoring and research programme to support evidence-based management of Otago’s deep lakes; Wanaka, Wakatipu and Hawea.

“The report summarised the pressures facing the lakes, noting recent incursions of invasive species such as lagarosphyon and lake snow, and documented the general uncertainty about how much stress the lakes are under,” he says.

The proposal was requested by the June 2025 Science and Resilience Committee.

Cr Malcolm thanked the Otago Deep Water Lakes Tech­nical Advis­ory Group (TAG) for their work and noting the resolutions which allow ORC to keep moving forward and seeking funding partners for this important programme.

The Otago Deep Water Lakes Technical Working Group was formed in early 2024. The TAG’s primary functions were to review the state of knowledge on the lakes, identify knowledge gaps, and develop a recommended programme of monitoring and research to fill gaps.

Otago Deep Water Lakes Research and Monitoring Proposal

RECOMMENDATION Moved Cr Malcolm, seconded, Cr Noone

That the Council:

1. Receives the Otago Deep Water lakes monitoring and research programme for consideration as part of the development of the upcoming Draft Long-Term Plan.
2. Directs governance and staff to continue to explore potential funding contributions from potential partners and deliver a Council Workshop to inform Governance roles and oversight to seek funding.
3. Notes the work of the Otago Deep Water Lakes Technical Advisory Group in producing this proposal, and thanks the participants for their contribution and expertise.