Katikati plans to turn Highfields stormwater pond into lake, progress

A proposal to convert a stormwater pond into an attractive lake for the Katikati community is being assessed.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council has been assessing the technical viability of converting the large stormwater pond in the Highfields subdivision into a permanent lake to compliment Haiku Park.

Work on the next stage of the development has just been completed.

Pipes were raised at two outlets and weeds and willows were cut back.

Over the last three years, several stages have been completed.

These included an initial feasibility study by Tonkin Taylor and geotech work to determine the viability of permanently raising the water level by one metre.

Bores have been put down to measure the groundwater levels.

"Council is very mindful of the possible impact this lake could have on the stopbank and the housing close to the proposed lake" the council's infrastructure services group manager Gary Allis said.

"The stopbank was constructed many years ago and the pond was developed mainly to catch sediment during the construction phase of the Highfields subdivision."

The plans propose raising the water levels by 0.5m at a time while monitoring any changes in between.