Rotorua council assessing Lake Rotorua lake weed build-up

Lake weed has accumulated at the edge of Lake Rotorua. Photo / Laura Smith

Rotorua’s council is considering dealing to built-up lake weed at the edge of Lake Rotorua.

Rotorua Lakes Council community experience group manager Alex Wilson said the weed often accumulated after stormy weather and was typical for autumn.

Strong northerly storm winds pushed the weed towards the lakefront and a change to southerly winds could help remove it, she said.

When natural conditions were insufficient, however, she said staff worked with Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Land Information NZ on a co-ordinated weed-clearance plan.

Wilson said the situation would be assessed over the next few days.

“If it needs attention, then it is likely we’ll need an excavator in the lake to move the weed off the shore to where it can be picked up by the weed harvester and taken to a boat ramp for disposal.

“We don’t yet know the cost of the clean-up. This varies depending on how much weed needs to be cleared.”

Lake weed build-up is a continuing issue. When it starts to rot it smells.

In 2022 300 tonnes of it was removed, costing ratepayers $35,000.

Several species of pest lake weed are found in Lake Rotorua and other Te Arawa lakes.

Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist since 2019.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.