The Oamaru Harbour entrance (centre) may no longer be
dredged if the Waitaki District Council continues with
plans to cut funding from 2014-15. Photo by David Bruce.
A proposal to stop dredging the Oamaru Harbour entrance
could emerge as a contentious issue in the Waitaki District
Council's 10-year community plan.
The council for a number of years has put aside $100,000 a
year towards dredging Oamaru harbour, which was undertaken
last year after several methods had been trialled.
However, in its draft long-term plan, the council is
proposing to set aside $100,000 in the 2012-13 financial
year, but stop funding dredging by rates income from 2014-15.
Instead, the council is suggesting $25,000 be set aside in
2014-15 to investigate options other than dredging.
One possibility is to revert to what was done decades ago -
removing sand from Sandy Beach, in the southeast corner of
the harbour opposite the Oamaru penguin colony, to prevent a
build-up along the breakwater and in the harbour entrance.
Large vessels stopped using the harbour in the 1970s, but it
is still used by commercial fishing boats and pleasure yachts
and boats.
The end of dredging received a mixed reaction from
councillors when the draft annual plan, with a proposed 7.41%
rates increase next financial year, was discussed this week.
One councillor suggested the harbour entrance would fill up.
Council assets group manager Neil Jorgensen said removing
rates funding from 2014-15 would mean no more money available
for dredging. By then, the council would know what effect
removing sand from Sandy Bay would have on the harbour
entrance.
Cr Kevin Malcolm said the council was competing against
Mother Nature, who decided where the bottom of the entrance
channel would be.
Cr Sally Hope said the council had a responsibility to keep
the entrance dredged and needed money in place to do that.
Cr Peter Garvan would support dredging if it was effective.
To not dredge was "a nonsense" and a cost-effective solution
was needed.
Cr Jim Hopkins said the council should continue dredging
until the community told it to stop.
The draft plan will go out for consultation with funding for
dredging removed in the 2014-15 financial year, despite some
councillors predicting that would result in submissions from
interest groups and individuals.
- david.bruce@odt.co.nz
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