Island may thwart Contact

A small island on the Clutha River could again prove a thorn in the side of a power company hoping to build a dam on the river's lower reaches.

Officials preparing a review of the Clutha district plan say there is a possibility Birch Island could be added to a list of significant habitats, which would mean Contact Energy would have to spend more money and time preparing its case for a dam at Tuapeka Mouth.

The company is revisiting 40-year-old plans for hydro-electric dams on the river, with sites at Queensberry, Luggate, Beaumont and Tuapeka Mouth being considered.

It plans to announce its preferred option early next year.

But, if Contact chooses the latter as its preference, it may encounter some red tape in the form of Birch Island having special protection in the new district plan.

The island is not on the Clutha District Council's register of significant habitats.

However, if scientists or others can prove it has special qualities, then council officials say it might get some protection, requiring much more work by Contact if it planned to flood the island as part of a Tuapeka Mouth dam building process.

Council planning and environment manager Murray Brass said Birch Island was "on the list" of areas being considered for inclusion in the updated plan.

However, "sound scientific proof" of special habitat or fauna existing there was needed before any protection would be considered.

Any formal protection would automatically trigger a resource consent application for any works in the area, although one would be needed for a project the size of any hydro development anyway, he said.

Any moves to fully protect the island would take several years and involve public consultation, as would any application by Contact to build a dam on the river.

glenn.conway@odt.co.nz