Loss of ORC water scientists lamented

The loss of three regional council water scientists at a time when the organisation is proposing large spending increases in the area is a "big blow", a University of Otago freshwater ecologist says.

Three Otago Regional Council scientists quit the council within the space of two weeks last month.

It is understood two were groundwater scientists.

Former council resource science manager Dean Olsen confirmed he was the third staff member who resigned, but declined to comment further.

Dr Olsen has more than 20 years’ experience in freshwater science.In the regional council’s long-term plan it advertised many projects specifically relating to the quality and quantity of water in Otago, which added up to about $71million in spending in the next 10 years.

University of Otago freshwater ecologist Marc Schallenberg said it was a "big blow" for the organisation to lose such "institutional knowledge" of freshwater management.

"These are people with a lot of experience and who’ve been in the thick of developing new policies and taking the council in a new direction."

This followed water scientist Adam Uytendaal leaving the organisation late last year, he said.

"He was someone who has been instrumental in revamping and refining their freshwater monitoring programme."

It was probably disorienting for the council to lose all those staff, especially all at once, he said.

"I’m concerned that it will have an impact on the council moving forward.

"A lot of the new spending is going that way. They’re obviously trying to branch out and do more in that area.

"They knew their stuff. How to interpret the data that were being collected, what questions to ask, the knowledge gap. They are highly trained and knowledgeable people."

The regional council declined to comment.

jono.edwards@odt.co.nz

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