"This stretch of river lacks about 60 per cent of fencing," Mr Ruka said, noting that an oxbow wetland that had been planted with 2500 flax and ti tree in August last year had been hard hit by cattle getting past an electric fence that was unsuitable for the job.
The results of stock pollution flowed down to the Kaipara Harbour where Niwa had recorded 10mm of sediment added annually, which was suffocating the harbour eco-system.
WDC levy bank leases stipulate stock exclusion fencing must be in place when animals are on the river bank. Mr Ruka's patrol reports have emphasised the need for regulatory councils to enforce fencing requirements.
NRC chairman Bill Shepherd said there was no requirement in the regional plan for farmers to fence waterways. An estimated 90 per cent of Northland dairy farmers had complied with Fonterra Accord rules on river fencing.
"But we are now in the process of reviewing the council's water and soil, air quality and coastal plans to combine them into one. The first draft of the combined plans is expected to be ready by mid-2016 and the public will then have the opportunity to make submissions on issues such as river fencing," he said.
Mr Ruka reckons it would cost only about $600 a kilometre to erect a temporary hotwire to create a stock exclusion zone.
Citing Resource Management Act and national freshwater management policy provisions to preserve rivers and their margins, he said his Te Uriroroi hapu at Poroti had provided five people to help plant oxbows, a combined effort with Ngati Hau, the Reconnecting Northland project administered by the Landcare Trust, and hapu from the collective Nga Kaitiaki o Nga Waimaori.
"Solomon Tipene also provided his nephew so we had six planters there over two days," he said.
"They received koha for kai, gas and remuneration from our hapu planting fund so that we gave some numbers to participate in this mahi effort."
Nathan Burkepile from Fish & Game had been there too, and another volunteer crew had been there earlier.
"It's quite a physical effort, for sure. We've got to ensure volunteers are not disappointed if their efforts are undone," Mr Ruka said.
"There is a tremendous amount of volunteer work going on, but where is the amalgamated effort from the powers that be to work together?"
WDC operations engineer Adam Twose said in emails sent to Mr Ruka that he had visited the planted oxbow where cattle had intruded and had also inspected another oxbow planted up this year with Landcare providing the plants and the WDC funding the logistics and planting.
While acknowledging plant damage, Mr Twose said he considered the plantings a success despite the cattle and other challenges.
The WDC had accepted responsibility for fencing the berm land and was now working with Fish & Game to put in more posts and install a second hotwire.
The WDC also planned to restore 7ha of grazing land on the pocket side of the bunds with support from Living Water, Fish and Game, Landcare Trust and others.
"The council will continue to fence off and plant up berm land oxbows in future years," Mr Twose said.
The chairman of the WDC Hikurangi Swamp Working Group, Cr Crichton Christie, said the plantings were challenging because the berms were designed to flood, making it hard to maintain fences and requiring careful placement of plants so flood water flow was not impeded.
