Kia ora, and welcome to On Stream, edition 8.
Kia ora! It’s bloomin’ lovely to have you reading this issue.
Spring has sprung here in Otago complete with rumours of Mr Sun hanging around after 6pm some days, the mad fella.
In this edition we meet the team who spend more time on the phone and email than you’ve had hot dinners, we look at the state of our estuaries and the ways ORC is preventing galaxiids being food for other fishies … plus, dog ate your enrolment papers? Don’t worry, you can still vote for your preferred ORC candidates in the upcoming local government election, just by being special. |
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Breaking news!
We are excited to announce the confirmed dates and venues for round 2 of consultation on our new Land and Water Regional Plan.
In round 1 you told us what you valued most about Otago’s rivers, lakes and streams. We now plan to share our scientific understanding of these natural resources, and discuss in more depth how we collectively ensure the good health of these waters, for our grandchildren/mokopuna into the future. Circle your calendar, we’ll be coming to you soon.
Locations, venues and dates
Owaka | Owaka Memorial Community Centre | Tues 25 Oct 2pm and 7pm
Queenstown | Sherwood Hotel | Mon 31 Oct 7pm
Wanaka | Wanaka Lakes Centre | Tues 1 Nov 2pm and 7pm
Hawea | Lake Hawea Community Centre | Mon 7 Nov 7pm
Tarras | Tarras War Memorial Community Centre | Tues 8 Nov 7pm
Cromwell | Cromwell & Districts Presbyterian Church | Wed 9 Nov 7pm
Clyde | Clyde Memorial Hall | Tues 15 Nov 7pm
Roxburgh | Roxburgh Service Centre | Wed 16 Nov 7pm
Millers Flat | Millers Flat Hall | Thur 17 Nov 7pm
Balclutha | Cross Recreation Centre | Mon 21 Nov 2pm and 7pm
Tapanui | West Otago Community Centre | Tues 22 Nov 7pm
Mosgiel | Coronation Hall | Mon 28 Nov 7pm
Middlemarch | Strath Taieri Community Centre | Tues 29 Nov 7pm
Ranfurly | Maniototo Golf Club | Wed 30 Nov 2pm and 7pm
Oamaru | Oamaru Opera House | Thur 1 Dec 2pm and 7pm
Palmerston | Palmerston Community Centre | Mon 5 Dec 7pm
Milton | Coronation Hall | Tues 6 Dec 7pm
Karitane | Puketeraki Marae | Wed 7 Dec 7pm
Dunedin | Dunedin Public Art Gallery | Thur 8 Dec 12pm
Dunedin | Arai Te Uru Marae | Thur 8 Dec 7pm
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Meet our customer services team
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We’re so proud of our customer services team!
Our team in Dunedin and Queenstown do a power of work, helping the public find the info they need, responding to queries, issues and concerns. They deal with everything from public transport to pollution calls as well as consents, rates and much, much more.
Over the past 12 months they have answered 20,200 emails, 25,250 phone calls, 8,300 social media questions and engaged with 3,400 face-to-face enquires. Holy moley!
This wee team always responds quickly and constantly exceeds expectations, and as our frontline staff they have such a remarkable knowledge base that WE always ask them first, too.
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Back row left to right: Mia, Sarah, Chantelle
Front row left to right: Georgia, Grace
Inset: the fabulous Karen who works in ORC’s Queenstown office
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Taieri River and Scroll Plain up at the Styx Valley
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The upper Taieri Wai - Tiaki Maniototo Project held a Field Day on 22nd July.
On-site visits provided a visual understanding and appreciation of the values and concerns, while seeing how farmers manage the scroll plain and the practical solutions these farms are already implementing. Discussions were had around farmers needing all the 'tools in the toolbox' that are fit for purpose in our unique landscape.
It was certainly beneficial to have Iwi, CODC, ORC, DOC, FEDS, Fish and Game, and Labour MP Rachel Brooking in the same space to understand how we can achieve a better outcome for community and biodiversity values if all parties work collaboratively on a management plan for the Scroll Plain. |
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Because we like to share, you can now find Otago’s estuary information, including monitoring reports, fact sheets and state of health data, on the Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website under Estuary Health — a fantastic free science resource for everyone! We’ve produced data on the health status of eight estuaries in the region, each of which provides essential ecosystem functions as well as rich and unique habitats for a variety of iconic New Zealand species.
Estuaries provide a transition from the river environments to the sea, and are dynamic, tidal environments that provide important ecosystem functions and habitats for plants and animals. Three of the indicators of estuary health measured nationally by councils are mud content, contaminants, and estuary macrofauna.
The state of an estuary is a reflection of land use practices from both current and historic land use. Estuarine health can be impacted by forestry, intensive agricultural practices, urbanisation, and water discharge practices. |
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Blueskin Bay Estuary north of Dunedin — in good health
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It's a fish-eat-fish world
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Last month, ORC staff and the East Otago Catchment Group met with landowners from the Shag Catchment at Shingly Creek Station to discuss an upcoming survey of creeks in the area.
The Shag/Waihemo and Waikouaiti River catchments are home to the Taieri flathead galaxias, a non-migratory galaxiid only found here in Otago, with decreasing numbers due to competition with trout.
The survey aims to uncover what is preventing trout from accessing galaxiid populations so that we can enhance the barriers that DO work.
Attendees at the meeting were also given a demonstration of electric fishing — one of the ways trout can be removed safely from creeks — and success stories were shared on the impact trout reduction has had on galaxiid numbers in the Kye Burn.
This project is just the tip of the iceberg. ORC will look to work alongside other community and catchment groups across Otago to undertake work like this in the future.
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Ever wondered what these words or phrases mean — pugging, scat, lateral spreading, flyovers, groundwater, GTFS, Catchment Advisor, LiDAR? Here at ORC, we use a lot of scientific jargon and acronyms. In every edition of On Stream, we'll tackle a new one and try to explain and demystify what it means and why we use it.
L is for Lagarosiphon
A pest that can harm our native wildlife and waterways — see this article on our Pest hub for more info https://www.orc.govt.nz/managing-our-environment/pest-hub/aquatic
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| Got a word or acronym you would like us to clarify? Get in touch with Lisa.Scott@orc.govt.nz. |
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One of our amazing Enviroschools in Central Otago, Omakau School, is partnering with the Thompson’s Creek Catchment Group and Gillespie’s Farm to care for waterways in their local area.
The Gillespies have a stream that feeds into the Manuherikia River that the school and farmers are restoring to health through native riparian planting. To help the students understand the impact that Riparian planting will make, Enviroschools led an experiential activity to show the difference.
First, students enacted the process of what happens to farm runoff when there is minimal planting next to the river, with a few pretending to be the sheep and cows who create effluent, and the rest the rain that washes that effluent into the waterways.
Second: introducing a tree. Students represented the heart, roots, xylem, phloem, with corresponding actions to show the roles that these play and how they use the nutrients from the cow and sheep poo and prevent it from washing into the awa. This activity showed the difference riparian planting makes to a stream.
Local native plants were brought in by Ben Gillespie — the students learnt their names and how each plant plays a different role. Students were able to explain the benefits of riparian planting for the river and the wildlife and some spontaneously acted the part of healthy eels delighting in a clean, clear river. |
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Election 22 — all about special votes
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| Dog ate your enrolment papers? Don’t worry, you can request special voting papers from your local territorial authority offices. For DCC and Central Otago DC that is Anthony Morton (amorton@electionz.com), for Clutha DC it is Dale Ofsoske (dale.ofsoske@electionservices.co.nz) and for QLDC that is Jane Robertson (jane.robertson@qldc.govt.nz). |
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Find out about monthly Otago Regional Council meetings here.
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Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might like to read it. If you have any story ideas, want to know anything specific about anything in this issue, let us know by emailing lisa.scott@orc.govt.nz. If you have been forwarded this email, you can sign up here. |
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