The Waianakarua River flows under the State Highway 1
bridge at the Mill House north of Hampden.
A community group is "very disappointed" Parliamentary
Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright will not
investigate minimum flows set by the Otago Regional Council for
two coastal North Otago waterways.
The Coastal Otago River Communities Group wrote to Dr Wright
in December requesting an investigation into minimum flows
set for the Waianakarua River and Trotters Creek.
The group felt summer minimum flows went against expert and
scientific advice provided to the council, were contrary to
what the community wanted and put more emphasis on
irrigation.
Although the group took part in the legal process the council
followed to set the flow, it did not have the resources,
including funds, to appeal the decision to the Environment
Court.
Instead, it asked Dr Wright to investigate but she has now
told the group that she also faced "challenges regarding
resourcing" and had decided not to investigate.
However, she did recognise the need for a national
environmental standard for minimum flows and increased
environmental monitoring of streams.
Dr Wright suggested the group continue to pursue its concerns
with the council and Minister for the Environment Nick Smith.
Group spokesman Morgan Trotter said yesterday the decision
not to investigate was another example of a failing
environmental process, again due to lack of resources.
"This is a very poor outcome for volunteer groups trying to
protect our environment," he said.
When groups were no longer able to play the adversary under
the Resource Management Act, there appeared to be no redress
through the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Mr Trotter said the regional council would now feel safe to
go on putting the economic interests of abstractors ahead of
the risks posed to New Zealand's natural heritage.
"Only when we have seriously overshot the environmental
bottom lines will the consequences become evident and by then
it may well be too late to correct the mistakes," he said.
Last year, after workshops, public submissions and a hearing,
the council set a summer minimum flow of 200 litres a second
for the Waianakarua River and 10 for Trotters Creek.
Initial recommendations were 20 litres a second for Trotters
Creek and 270 for the Waianakarua River in summer.
- david.bruce@odt.co.nz
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