Aquatic harvester may be used to remove large amount of Rotorua lake weed

An aquatic weed harvester may be used to clear masses of lake weed that washed up on the shores of Lake Rotorua in stormy weather yesterday morning, causing havoc for businesses.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Rotorua Lakes Council are working on a plan to remove the weed, but say it could take some time given the volumes found between Ōhinemutu and Sulphur Point.

The influx came after strong winds and heavy rain battered the region overnight, causing power outages, flying debris and even greenhouses to blow away.

Donna Soloman, owner of the pedal boat businees Mana Adventures on the Rotorua
Lakefront, said she had not seen weed wash up this badly for many years.

She got a call first thing that the nasty storm had caused loads of lake weed to wash up and cripple her business for the first day of the school holidays.

Her boats could not operate as it was unsafe could be damaged by the weed. Her father Ben had headed down yesterday morning to wade through the water and attempt to clear the weeds.

"It is a real hindrance for business."

Council contractors usually came down at some point of the day to help with the cleanup, otherwise, it was left to business owners, she said.

But she said the weed washup might may be a good thing, as the council could now take it into consideration while the Lakefront Development was in the early stages.

Owner of Katoa Lake Rotorua, Will Scadden, said his team had worked all morning to clear space for their boats to operate. They had to postpone a few trips and were yesterday waiting for the council to come up with a cleanup plan.

A Rotorua Lakes Council spokeswoman said some of the weed had been "washed into the construction site along the lake edge".

"This has not had a significant impact on the work in this area."

Meanwhile, more than 1000 Rotorua properties were without power yesterday morning.

Unison reported 766 properties in the Lynmore and Lakes area lost power while 416 properties in Hamurana were without power since from 1am on Sunday.

Relationship manager Danny Gough said crews worked "all through the night".

Trees and flying debris also struck lines. He was not certain when a full restoration would be complete, he said.

State Highway 2 was expected to remain closed yesterdsay to eastbound traffic between Te Puna and Wairoa River Bridge to replace a power pole damaged by a falling tree.

Firefighters were called to about 12 weather-related jobs in the Bay of Plenty from 6pm on Sunday.

Hayley Shuttleworth woke yesterday to find two greenhouses at her Hamurana property had "completely vanished".

She said it had been frightening; she had almost expected her ranch slider glass to shatter as the wind battered off the waterfront.

Her greenhouses were a "decent size" and had never moved in the three years she had them.

"There is not a sign of them this morning, no poles or anything."

She said they could well have ended up in someone's back garden. Her deck chairs and table had blown on to the lawn. She had not been growing anything in the greenhouses but they had been a good shelter for her chickens.

She had done a chook count and was fairly certain they were all there.

A Rotorua Lakes Council spokeswoman said contractors attended several wind-related call outs with trees and debris needing to be removed from Okareka Loop Rd, Devon St, Hatupatu Dr, Hood St and Te Waerenga Rd.

There was also surface flooding on Fairy Springs Rd near Skyline Rotorua about midnight, State Highway 30 near Rotoiti, and Clayton Rd.

All issues except Te Waerenga Rd were cleared and made safe during the night, she said.

A police spokeswoman said there were several reports of trees falling and delaying traffic in the Bay of Plenty, but they were mainly dealt by contractors and council.