Lake Horowhenua's health will no doubt increase dramatically once the wetland has become established.
Lake Horowhenua's health will no doubt increase dramatically once the wetland has become established.
The dream of cleaning up the Arawhata Stream and Lake Punahau/Horowhenua is a step closer to reality.
Horizons Regional Council has just bought a farm next to these bodies of water. On that land, a wetland will be established that will bring that dream to fruition.
The 142ha has been acquired by the regional council for $6.75 million, with $5.6m of that coming from central government's Jobs for Nature funding.
This is the result of some long-term planning by a large group of interested people and lobbying of central government by local and regional councils to obtain the money for it.
"This is so significant," said former Horowhenua mayor Brendan Duffy, who led the alliance of interest groups that came up with the wetland plan.
"It is the next step in the dream of so many of us to improve the health of the lake.
"It is also an extraordinary opportunity for the growers to seize the chance to enhance their growing practices. Congratulations to Horizons for getting the money and hats off to all those groups including growers, and led by Muaūpoko, who worked on this wetland plan," he said.
Governance Group chairwoman for the project and Horizons' chairwoman Rachel Keedwell said: "This wetland complex adds to a suite of completed and in progress interventions, which include the constructed sediment trap, Hokio Stream fish pass, and weed harvesting to address water quality and aquatic health within the Lake Horowhenua catchment.
"Together, this combination of interventions, alongside working with horticultural growers to reduce the impact of their operations on the lake water quality, will provide water quality and aquatic health in the Lake Horowhenua catchment."
The project is expected to cost $12.5m with Horizons contributing $1.3m.
"Converting part of the 142 hectares from dairy farm to wetland will result in positive changes for Lake Horowhenua and we intend a collaborative approach working with Muaūpoko Tribal Authority and Lake Horowhenua Trust."
Horizons has also established a Governance Group to address water quality issues across the wider area.
The sediment trap on the Arawhata Stream before it enters Punahau/Lake Horowhenua.
"Having a working partnership, including engagement with the wider community, is vital to ensure the project is successful in its own right before we see the environmental benefits begin to occur.
"Not only will the wetland complex help to reduce the amounts of nitrogen, sediment and phosphorus entering the lake, but project partners are also looking at opportunities to incorporate a walkway between Lake Horowhenua and Lake Waiwiri (Papaitonga), forest and ecosystem restoration and recreational areas," Keedwell said.
The reduction in nitrogen levels will help the lake achieve water quality target set in the One Plan and the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM).
Currently both Lake Punahau and the Arawhata Stream that feeds into the lake and collects run-off from surrounding farms and horticultural properties, are now well below the national bottom line for nitrogen and nitrate and have been for years.
The sediment trap where sediment is captures before water from the Queen Street drain enters Lake Horowhenua.
The Lake Horowhenua Trustees are among those involved in the planning of this project. They agree this is a significant step towards an integrated solution to the water quality issues, which have been plaguing the lake for decades.
"It is very exciting to see progress as kaitiaki of this Muaūpoko taonga and the trust welcomes the deepening relationship and spirit of co-creation that is slowly growing between Muaūpoko, Horizons, the Horowhenua District Council, and the Ministry for the Environment as we strive to bring the mauri back to our lake.
"We see the partnership approach developed within this project as integral as there is a need for collaboration, coordination, and communication at a governance level for this to work.
Kotuku Sea Scouts enjoyed a tranquil row on Lake Horowhenua.
"The trust hopes to see the confirmed involvement of the Muaūpoko Tribal Authority as the Iwi Authority over the lake catchment and Arawhata project area soon, as we see this as paramount to the success of the project; and we acknowledge parts of the project could include work in the Waikawa catchment and parts of the Ōhau catchment where both Raukawa and Muaūpoko have asserted their as yet unsettled interests."
A number of vegetable growers in the Arawhata/Lake Punahau/Horowhenua catchment have already achieved a significant reduction in nitrate leaching into nearby streams and a number of sediment traps have been put in near lake inlets, however there is much more that needs to be done.
The catchment also contains a number of other streams and stormwater drains that feed directly or indirectly into the Arawhata Stream.
The idea has come from a large group of interested parties which formed the Arawhata Wetland Alliance and engaged with district and regional councils to achieve this milestone.
