A Wanaka developer and Fish and Game Otago are at odds over what is to blame for an incident earlier this week which resulted in Bullock Creek turning murky.
Following heavy rainfall on Monday night and Tuesday morning the usually clear waters of Bullock Creek turned a muddy brown colour. Staff from the Queenstown Lakes District Council investigated the issue and found fine sediment from the Alpha Series subdivision had entered the creek.
Last month a similar incident occurred and developer Orchard Road Holdings, owned by Allan Dippie, was warned by the council. Council consents for Wanaka team leader Quinn McIntyre said the development site had secondary and tertiary sediment controls which caught heavier sediment.
Fine particles had left the site and entered the creek after the primary controls failed, Mr McIntyre said.
After the initial inspection, staff inspected the creek again and observed it running clear with no visible sediment deposits.
Mr Dippie accepted a small amount of sediment had run off the development into the creek, but believed the incident had been blown out of proportion.
"What happened was some earth got washed into the creek and turned it muddy for a short time, that’s not unusual when there is heavy rain."
Sediment also came from other properties close to the creek, Mr Dippie said.
The claim that sediment from the development had clogged the creek and damaged fish nurseries was not true.
"I feel like we are being unfairly targeted by the Fish and Game people when in fact we are doing a very good job."
Not everyone agreed with Mr Dippie’s assessment.Fish and Game officer Paul van Klink was disappointed another incident had occurred after being assured the issue had been dealt with.
"There has only been issues with sediment since the development was started. Usually the water is crystal clear 365 days a year."
Fish and Game Otago owned the land next to the development.
The subdivision had a significant impact on the creek which was an import natural nursery for both brown and rainbow trout.
Residents had also called, concerned about the state of the creek, he said.
It was now up to the district council and the Otago Regional Council to make sure their bylaws were enforced, he said.
An incident report would be prepared by the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s enforcement team which would determine the required action.
