$100,000 boost for sick lakes

By JO-MARIE BROWN

A further $100,000 will be spent by Environment Bay of Plenty this year to hasten efforts to improve the water quality of Rotorua's sick lakes.

The regional council has approved the additional funding to help pay for research on what the economic impacts of changing land use will be.

In some lake catchments, farmers will be encouraged to convert pasture to forestry or lifestyle blocks to reduce the amount of nutrients entering the water because they cause algal blooms.

Environment Bay of Plenty chairman John Cronin said the council wanted to ensure that momentum on the lakes issue was not lost.

"The community has asked us to move as rapidly as possible - and that is what we are doing."

The extra money also would be spent on investigating direct intervention options for Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti.

Trial measures would include diverting the Ohau Channel and injecting the bottom waters with oxygen.