Freshwater Management

1 Waterway Enhancement & Protection

1.1 Activity Overview

The Freshwater Team at Horizons is a small team that works closely with other Horizons teams as well as people external to the organisation to implement works for water quality improvement. The Freshwater Team draws on the scientific monitoring work carried out by Horizons and other agencies to prioritise and focus implementation efforts. The team works with a number of external agencies including iwi and hapu, District and City Councils, industry and community groups to undertake collaborative projects and actively seeks funding from other sources, allowing the acceleration of works.

The main activity of the team includes riparian fencing and planting for water quality and fish habitat enhancement as well as the identification and enhancement of whitebait spawning habitat and fish passage improvement.

2 Regional Freshwater Programme

2.1 Activity Overview

This programme focuses on the protection and enhancement of waterways across the region. This section of the report does not include work in the Manawatu and Horowhenua Catchments which are reported in another section of this report. The main component of the Freshwater teams work is supporting stock exclusion from waterways (via freshwater grants, advice and education), riparian enhancement and planting (where desirable), aquatic habitat enhancement, and supporting industry and community-led initiatives.

Targets

Table 1: Annual Plan performance measures for 2016-17 for the Regional Freshwater Programme (excluding the Manawatu Accord work for the Manawatu catchment and the Clean-up Fund for the Horowhenua Catchment).

Measure

Reporting Period Allocated

work Target

% comple

te

% allocated

1st

Jul to Oct 2

nd 3

rd 4

th

Continue to work with, and provide advice to, individuals, landowners, community and iwi

groups to improve waterways *

1

88 N/A 25 352% N/A

Freshwater grants are provided each year, with priority given to working in focus catchments

and improving aquatic habitat *1

14 Grants

3.9 km of fencing

and 5,800 plants

52 Grants

Over 12 km of fencing

14,220 plants

20 70% 260%

*1 Annual Plan (AP)/ Long-term Plan (LTP) targets

2.2 Activity Highlights

Work with individuals, community groups and iwi to improve waterways:

2.2.1 So far this year the team has had contact with and provided specialised freshwater advice to 88 individuals, iwi, community groups and clubs in the regional programme (excluding the Manawatu and Horowhenua catchments). This includes 36 cases where advice only was given, and 52 where the advice led the other party to lodge a grant application for works that met criteria for funding. Within each project one contact person generally is counted, even if there are several people working on the project. Despite there generally being numerous contacts with each person over the course of the project, they are only counted once per year.

2.2.2 Work continues in partnership with groups such as the Bulls Community Group, Whanganui’s “Healthy Streams” group, Hautapu Catchment care group, and Rangitikei’s Treasured Natural Environment Group, on community focused freshwater enhancement programmes.

2.2.3 Staff have worked with seven different iwi as well as Whanganui’s Nga Tangata Tiaki on site-specific freshwater restoration projects over this period.

2.2.4 A planting day was held with Huntley School in September on the Koitiata Stream at the OB Group dairy farm. More than 700 trees, shrubs and grasses were planted as part of Huntley’s Service in the Community Week. Staff also assisted with plant supply for the Taihape Golf Club’s planting day with a number of native trees put in adjacent to the Hautapu River. Another planting day at Nukumaru, west of Wanganui, at Hopkins nutrient treatment wetland is being planned for early December.

Photo 1 and Photo 2: Students and staff from Huntley School starting the planting day along the Koitiata Stream (September 2016). Right: Flyer advertising the freshwater programme sent out to rural delivery addresses in November.

2.2.5 Flyers were distributed in early November to most of the rural delivery addresses in the Region to advertise the freshwater programme and help ensure landowners were aware of the advisory and funding service for environmental works. There was a good uptake this year, leading to a number of projects for the freshwater team and some for the land team.

Environmental Grant applications supported:

2.2.6 Fifty-two environmental grant applications have been received and so far plans have been made for more than 12 km of fencing and 14,220 plants planned. Nearly 3.9 km of fencing has been completed and more than 5,800 plants have been put in the ground. The wet weather has been delaying the start of a number of fencing projects. Staff are noticing an increase in the number of smaller farms or lifestyle blocks that are seeking to do environmental work in conjunction with the team, which is reflected in the smaller numbers of plants or fence length per application.

2.2.7 Staff have been monitoring last year’s plantings and have advised on, or organised, release spraying as and when required to ensure plants get a good start and are not smothered with the spring/summer grass growth.

2.3 Nga Whenua Rahui Work:

2.3.1 Fencing has begun on one Atihau bush block at Tawanui over this period. However two other projects have been delayed by the wet weather and are now expected to start in the new year.

2.3.2 Sites are being visited to identify the required pest plant programme for the summer. Joe Martin is training two others to pick up some of his work within the Nga Whenua Rahui programme.

2.4 Spotlight On… SHMAK monitoring

2.4.1 NIWA has developed, and continues to refine, a community monitoring programme called the Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit (also known as SHMAK). This is a tool kit providing a method for communities to monitor waterways and assess changes over time. The kit includes tools and instructions for measuring the clarity of the water (clarity tube); flow velocity; pH, temperature and conductivity; and information and tools for undertaking assessments of periphyton growth and invertebrates present. Horizons has been using a modified version of the kit, called Waiora, with school groups for the past few years. The monitoring is done as frequently as the community group can commit to – quarterly or six monthly is ideal – using exactly the same site and approximately the same time of year each time. The actual timing is influenced by flow as it is best to wait a week after high flows where possible.

2.4.2 The freshwater team has been involved with training iwi groups with the full SHMAK kit as part of the Te Mana o Te Wai projects. This allows the iwi/hapu/marae groups to really connect with what is happening within the stream/river they are working to restore, and provides one method – to be used in conjunction with other cultural monitoring protocols – to identify long-term improvements in water quality and aquatic life.

Photo 3 and Photo 4: Determining algae coverage on the rock and identifying invertebrate species.

Photo 5: Testing water clarity by viewing a sample of water through a tube and moving the disc back until it is unable to be seen.

2.5 Activity Progress Report

Project Key Deliverables Progress to Date

Working with individuals, community groups or iwi to improve waterways.

Work with 25 individuals, community groups or iwi.

There have been 88 contacts over this period with 36 being provision of advice only.

Staff are working with a number of iwi and community groups towards freshwater improvement projects and connecting the communities back to their rivers/streams.

Environmental Grant applications supported.

20 Environmental Grants supported

52 Environmental Grant applications have been lodged.

Nga Whenua Rahui (NWR)

Works completed in accordance with the contract to NWR, including assessing proposal for protection of bush remnants, wetlands and stream sites on Maori land.

Fencing has begun on Tawanui.

The plant pest programme for the summer is being developed.

3 Manawatu River Accord

3.1 Activity Overview

The Manawatu River Leaders’ Accord Action Plan includes an array of activities related to water quality, to achieve the goals of the Accord. This activity funds works to improve the water quality in the Manawatu Catchment as part of the Accord, including fencing off streams, riparian planting, improving fish passage and supporting community projects.

3.2 Targets

Table 2: Annual Plan performance measures for 2016-17 for Manawatu River Accord.

Measure

Reporting Period Allocated

work Target

% comple

te

% allocat

ed 1

st

Jul to Oct 2

nd 3

rd 4

th

Stream fencing. Measure lineal metres (km) of fencing installed (all types).

6.076 km 27.9 km 45 13.5% 62%

Improve native fish habitat and fish passage. Number of sites protected/ enhanced.

24 planting sites & 17,719 riparian plants

planted

53 Sites

26,705 plants

10 240% 530%

Community involvement projects.

5 projects started, none

completed 5 4 0% 125%

3.3 Activity Highlights

Manawatu River Leaders’ Accord and Action Plan:

3.3.1 The new Manawatu River Leaders’ Action plan was launched in March 2015 and lists the actions committed to by members of the Accord for the next five years. The first report back to the Manawatu River Leaders’ forum on progress on the actions will be on 30 November 2016. A Hui-a-iwi meeting was held on 26 October 2016 and covered a range of topics including the recent announcement of the Te Mana O Te Wai Funding for the Manawatu, The Manawatu River Advisory Board and the process for potential future funding applications. These items were also on the agenda for the Manawatu River Leaders Forum Meeting.

Manawatu River Accord Targeted Rate

3.3.2 The main focus during this reporting period has been on completing the last of the planting projects. The wet spring has allowed for planting later in the season than normal.

3.3.3 The community projects funded under the Manawatu targeted rate have started with three – Taonui School, Tararua Breeding Centre and the Kui Kui Charitable Trust – holding plantings. The two other community projects have also started with equipment being purchased for the Partnerships through Collaboration Project and project planning support for this project. The Mangaone West Landcare Group has been scoping projects for the next planting season.

3.3.4 In mid-November over 5,000 flyers were delivered to rural delivery mail boxes throughout the catchment, resulting in a handful of enquiries so far. Another round of advertising is likely early in the new year.

3.4 Spotlight On … fish pass trial

3.4.1 A rock and concrete fish pass was constructed in Waterfall Creek just south of Tokomaru. A large box culvert under SH57 had become perched over time, resulting in a drop of approximately 50 cm in places which made it impassable for inanga. In 2014 the fish pass was constructed under the guidance of experts from NIWA. NIWA has developed fish pass testing protocols which were followed to assess the effectiveness of the fish pass. Inanga were caught from lower in the Manawatu Catchment and stained using dye so they could be easily identifiable; a non-stained control population was also used in the trial. The fish pass was electro-fished to remove any inanga that may have been there prior to the imported fish being released. Nets were placed below the fish pass and above the culvert so the inanga could be recaptured and counted. At the end of the trial 21% of the fish released were recovered from the trap at the top of the fish pass, but in total only 52% of the 277 fish released during the trial were found again. Due to the uncertainty of where the other fish ended up we intend to re-run the trial in December.

Photo 6: Waterfall Creek culvert before work (left top) ) and Photo 7: After construction (right top).Photo 8 and Photo 9: Nets in place on Whitebait Creek and stained inanga.

3.5 Activity Progress Report

Project Key Deliverables Progress to Date

Manawatu River Leaders’ Forum (MRLF)

Meetings completed, Action Plan implemented.

Hui a iwi held at Caccia Birch on 26 October 2016

MRLF held on 30 November 2016

Manawatu Accord implementation work

Work to complement the goals of the Manawatu Accord.

Allocations to date are 27.9 km of fencing proposed, 26,705 riparian plants planned and 4 fish passes proposed.

Advertising via flyers delivered to all rural delivery box holders in the catchment has been carried out.

4 Lake Horowhenua Accord and Lake Horowhenua Freshwater Clean-Up Fund

4.1 Activity Overview

The Lake Horowhenua Accord is a partnership to address water quality issues in Lake Horowhenua. Horizons has the lead role in delivering on the Lake Horowhenua Freshwater Clean-up Fund, which consists of eight projects designed to contribute to the restoration of Lake Horowhenua.

Targets

Table 3: Annual Plan performance measures for 2016-17 for the Lake Horowhenua Accord and Freshwater Clean-up Fund.

Measure

Reporting Period 2016-17

Actual Target % 1

st

Jul. to Oct.

2nd

3rd

4

th

Obtain consents and operate a lake weed harvester on Lake Horowhenua (Environment Court process for consents

completed)*1

Consents obtained

and appealed

Consents obtained 0%

*1 AP targets

4.2 Activity Highlights

The Lake Horowhenua Accord and Freshwater Clean-Up Fund:

4.2.1 Consents required for the fish pass, sediment trap and lake weed harvesting were granted in December 2015 and the decision was subject to one appeal to the Environment Court. Following the Environment Court hearing in May 2016 the court ruled in favour of Horizons (as an applicant) in September 2016. The Environment Court decision was subsequently appealed to the High Court, although there were some issues around the timing of the appeal and the service of the appeal to the parties involved. Horizons has filed notice to be involved in the case to the court along with some preliminary matters noted. An initial date for the first case conference was delayed due to the earthquakes. Horizons is currently preparing to install the fish pass and have notified a range of parties including the court. This project is being progressed on the basis that the opposition to this activity was withdrawn as a part of the Environment Court process.

4.2.2 The ninth Quarterly Report was completed and submitted to the Minister for the Environment (MfE) on 31 October 2016. A variation to the Deed with MfE is being sought to extend the timeframes for the delivery of the fish pass project and the sediment trap, due to the delays caused by the legal process. An extension to the integrated stormwater management project was also sought to allow for further farm visits and implementation on the Horticultural farms and for a final report on the project to be prepared by Dan Bloomer.

4.2.3 Horowhenua District Council has confirmed it will not continue with stage one of the urban stormwater project as a part of the Lake Horowhenua Clean-Up Fund project due to the difficulty in obtaining archaeological authority. Staff at HDC have indicated they are progressing work to improve treatment of the water flowing from Queen Street drain to the Lake (when it does flow to the Lake). The work is however being progressed outside of the Clean-Up Fund project. The variation sought from MfE has requested that the $50,000 allocated for the urban stormwater project be reallocated to the sediment trap project and if it is not fully utilised on that project that any remaining funds be directed to the establishment of the Lake Weed Harvesting project

4.2.4 The Lake Horowhenua Trust reconfirmed their support for the Lake Accord and the Clean-Up Fund projects at there meeting in November.

4.2.5 Staff presented a progress report on the integrated stormwater management project at the Tararua Growers Association AGM in September.

4.3 Activity Progress Report

Project Key Deliverables Progress to Date

Lake Horowhenua Accord

Regular meetings and progress on the Lake Accord projects

Lake Horowhenua Accord Group meetings held on 4 July and 28 September.

Lake Horowhenua Clean-Up Fund

Lake weed harvesting

This project is completed from a financial perspective with MfE.

Consents have been obtained, with an appeal to the High Court received.

Oct 2016 NIWA undertook a further round of weed mapping to help inform the weed harvesting methodology.

Boat wash facility The boat wash was installed in 2014 and this project

is completed.

Riparian fencing and planting

This project is ongoing and will be completed in December 2016.

2 community planting days have been held.

6,854 plants planted and 1,108 metres of fencing, 2 signs erected, and one fish ladder installed under this project.

Urban stormwater treatment

Horowhenua District Council has confirmed its withdrawal from the implementation of stage one of this project

No MfE funding has been spent on this project.

Sediment trap Consents have been obtained.

Archaeological authority gained.

Integrated stormwater management plan

$300,000 of Horizons’ Long-term Plan budget has been allocated for the upgrade of the Arawhata stormwater network, including 6 km of drain upgrades and replacement of culverts. Upgrades have started and 3 culverts have been replaced.

368 ha of cropped land has been mapped to identify areas of ponding and high risk soil loss areas. Plans are being implemented by the growers to reduce the impact of storm events and soil loss into the drainage network and ultimately finding its way into the lake.

Sustainable milk production plans

This project has been completed with all 10 farms within the catchment mapped and plans delivered and discussed.

All of these farms are now operating with resource consents.

Fish pass on Hokio Stream

Consent obtained.

Archaeological authority obtained.

Designs for the fish pass have been completed.

5 Te Mana o Te Wai Projects

5.1 Activity Overview

The Te Mana o Te Wai Fund is administered by Ministry for the Environment and has had one round of project funding open to iwi/hapu/marae for freshwater restoration works. Horizons has supported a number of applications and has had four projects succeed in their funding bids, all of which have begun works. Approximately half of the available funding from the Te Mana o Te Wai Fund has been secured for work in Horizons region, although it is noted that one of the projects does work in both the Taranaki and Manawatu-Wanganui Regions. The projects run over a two year time frame with two officially beginning on 1 March 2016 and two on 1 July 2016. All four have now been announced.

5.2 Activity Highlights

Rangitikei – Ngā Puna Rau Rangitīkei

5.2.1 Ngā Puna Rau Rangitīkei is a project arising from the Nga Pae o Rangitīkei group. It includes six site-specific projects and four that are catchment-wide. The site specific projects include fencing and planting at the Moawhango River, Paharakeke Stream (Moawhango), Pourewa Stream, and Makowhai Stream (Tangimoana). Restoration plans have been prepared, monitoring carried out and some restoration completed of the Hautapu River and Lake Oporoa (Utiku). The four catchment-wide projects include planning for and undertaking communications, stream monitoring, developing a catchment strategy and arranging signage.

5.2.2 The project was officially announced on 2 September 2016 via a press release by Ministers Dr Nick Smith and Te Ururoa Flavell, and MP Marama Fox on the Beehive website. This was celebrated with a powhiri at Rata Marae and planting of 1,000 native trees and harakeke along the banks of the Pourewa Stream. The project team leaders, along with iwi representatives and whanau, were joined by MP Ian McKelvie, Councillor McKellar, Department of Conservation representatives and Horizons staff as well as students from Hunterville School. The project will receive approximately $700,000 from the Government towards the $800,000 total expected cost. Horizons co-funding agreement has been finalised and signed by both parties.

5.2.3 The project has planted 9,200 trees between June and September 2016 across three sites/catchments, the Makowhai (Tangimoana), Pourewa (Rata) and Moawhango streams.

5.2.4 The Project Governance Group (PGG) has met twice during this reporting period and is schedule to meet again in February. It includes two Horizons representatives, with Councillor Patrick recently elected onto it as well as Jon Roygard. Clare Ridler is Horizons primary point of contact for the project and also attends the governance group meetings in an Advisory Role.

5.2.5 The project team had a training day with Horizons staff at Rata in November to learn how to use the Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit (SHMAK). The SHMAK kit will form part of a monitoring programme to be undertaken at five of the catchments where restoration works is occurring to provide data on any changes over the long term.

Photo 10: Left. MP Ian McKelvie, Councillor McKellar, and Neville Lomax planting the first plants alongside the Pourewa Stream during the announcement celebrations. Photo 11: Right Public announcement of the Tu te Manawa project at Te Manawa.

Manawatu – Tu te Manawa

5.2.6 The Tu te Manawa project was launched on 21 October 2015 at Te Manawa in Palmerston North. The project was formally announced in a press release by Minister Dr Nick Smith and MP Marama Fox on the Beehive website. This was celebrated at Te Manawa Art, Science, and History Museum on the same day as the Horizons Council expo. The celebration was well attended with the project team leaders, iwi representatives and whanau joined by MP Ian McKelvie, Horizons Councillors, MfE and Horizons staff as well as the general public.

5.2.7 Tu te Manawa has a total project budget of $813,840.00 with $533,840.00 coming from the Te Mana o te Wai Fund administered by MfE. This project incorporates the following three main objectives:

1. To instil community and iwi/hapu pride to enable action for improving our awa.

2. To complete physical intervention to protect, clean up and reduce impacts on our awa.

3. To increase the presence and number of culturally significant species within the catchment as a key indicator of mauri.

5.2.8 The first whare will be completed in Ferry Reserve in December 2016 and an iwi/hapu planting day was held at the site on 12 November.

5.2.9 Horizons is supporting the project through financial contributions towards the stream fencing, planting and fish pass projects which will be undertaken as part of the Manawatu targeted rate work. Further information on this project is available on request.

5.2.10 The Project Governance Group includes Councillor Sheldon as a Horizons representative. Lucy Ferguson is Horizons primary point of contact for the project.

5.2.11 The additional funding for stream fencing and planting through this project places additional workload on the freshwater team to secure work in the Manawatu Catchment. The team have started advertising (as reported in a previous section) and will advertise again in the new calendar year.

Lake Horowhenua – Te Kakapa Manawa o Muaūpoko – The Heartbeat of Muaūpoko

5.2.12 The Te Kakapa Manawau o Muaupoko (the heartbeat of Muaupoko) project was the first of the four to be announced in the Region (in November 2015). There are 13 sub-projects including community and manawhenua engagement, physical water quality improvement interventions and work to enhance and better understand the state of native fisheries and how to enhance them.

5.2.13 Te Kakapa Manawa o Muaūpoko has a total project budget of $1,162,160 with $971,660.00 coming from the Te Mana o te Wai Fund administered by MfE.

5.2.14 The co-funding agreement between Horizons and the Horowhenua Part II Trust has been signed by both parties during the reporting period. Horizons is involved in five of the 13 projects, which include the lake report card, lake bed sediment report, in-lake planting trial, fencing and planting, and the native fish survey and report projects. Horizons’ involvement includes both in-kind and financial support. Further details on the projects are available on request.

5.2.15 Horizons staff have helped with the organisation of two community planting days in August and September on the banks of the Hokio Stream near the weir. They also held a school planting in the same area to fill in gaps, resulting in an additional 1,006 plants planted along the Stream.

5.2.16 Work is underway on other projects including the glass eel capture and repatriation project, the lake report card project, in-lake planting trial and scoping work for the fencing and planting projects are also underway.

5.2.17 The PGG includes Councillor Sheldon as a representative of Horizons and Jon Roygard is a member in an advisory capacity only. The Governance Group has meet four times during this financial year (2 August, 7 September, 5 October, and 22 November). The project has also reported to two Lake Accord meetings 4 July and 28 September. Logan Brown is Horizons primary point of contact for this project.

Nga Rauru – Te Kaahui o Rauru Waterways Restoration.

5.2.18 The Nga Rauru project includes seven site-specific catchment restoration projects, three of which – the Kai iwi, Okehu and Ototoka Streams – are in Horizons’ Region.

5.2.19 The Te Kaahui o Rauru Waterways Restoration proect has a total project budget of $400,000 with $376,000 coming from the Te Mana o te Wai Fund administered by MfE.

5.2.20 Planning for willow control works, fencing and planting has been carried out across all three of these catchments. It is expected that approximately 800 metres of willow control, plant pest control, and more than 1 km of fencing will be completed by April 2017; and more than 5,000 plants will be put in during May, June and July 2017.

5.2.21 Horizons are not involved in the Governance of this project. Clare Ridler is Horizons primary point of contact for this project.

Clare Ridler FRESHWATER COORDINATOR

Lucy Ferguson FRESHWATER COORDINATOR

Logan Brown FRESHWATER AND PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

Jon Roygard

GROUP MANAGER NATURAL RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS

Map 1: Location of the proposed and completed Freshwater Grants for 2016-17 including the Regional, Manawatu and Horowhenua programmes. Each point on the map represents one fencing or planting project.