A foetid mess

Once a priceless taonga, Lake Ōmāpere is now `dead.' Photo / Peter de Graaf

Lake Ōmāpere `a foetid mess'

Whilst water storage is rightly topical, the sad and disgraceful state of Lake Ōmāpere is ignored. The largest body of water in the North is dead, an environmental disaster. What was once a food basket for manawhenua cannot even provide water that can readily be made potable in droughts.

Dynamiting the outlet to lower the level for farmland has had the most egregious effect on this taonga. Surrounding land that was 'drained' is flooded whenever we have decent rainfall, and is marginal at best. The water lacks oxygen and heats up because it's too shallow, creating perfect conditions for algal bloom.

Introduced swans and ducks appear to be the only beneficiaries, having multiplied to plague proportions. Native plants have had to be relocated from the lake in a bid to save them from extinction.

It's such a sorry, foetid mess, worst of all being the complete loss of amenity and kai for people. What should be a jewel containing a huge volume of healthy water, aiding realisation of the surrounding area's potential, is instead a pig's ear.

Those in leadership ought to be shamed and taking action. Instead we see plans for what are in comparison pocket handkerchief-sized dams – not a bad idea per se – replete with gravy train jockeys. All the while, Lake Ōmāpere (the elephant in the room) remains deliberately unseen.

We have to demand better. A complete leadership vacuum from local regional and central government, their agencies and our representatives, manawhenua and kaitiaki beggars belief. Simply and collectively, it's a dereliction of duty to the environment and the people they represent.

Steve Sangster

RD3 Kaikohe