“However, we are working with researchers to understand soil quality, soil sampling and soil testing to be better able to offer advice on things such as seeding in the future.
“In addition, the Silt Taskforce has been working with landowners to identify hotspots that could cause dust nuisance and is co-ordinating reduced rates for landowners to access hydroseeding companies. This has been done in Esk, Waiohiki, Omahu and Puketapu to date.”
One company that has been proactive is Pan Pac Forest Products, which recently hydroseeded its site at Waiohiki.
It had 600 millimetres of silt on its premises and surrounds, including its water intake from the Esk River.
More than 1000 truckloads of silt were removed, with what was left levelled and seeded.
“Any kind of exposed bits of dirt or silt around the site, we needed to get that locked in,’’ Pan Pac environmental manager Reece O’Leary said.
“We also had a huge amount of silt out there by the river’s edge and, to be socially responsible, we wanted to make sure we locked that up with some grass seed.
“All of our air-quality monitoring equipment was flooded out in Gabrielle so we’ve invested in replacing all that and were quite concerned about that for our staff so we’ve looked at PPE [personal protective equipment] requirements.
“On top of that, we’re monitoring the air quality for our staff and our neighbours to make sure that anything we can control we are.”
That includes two rounds of soil testing, to ensure it did not contaminate dump sites or the staff removing it.
Pan Pac’s onsite nurse was responsible for fitting all PPE gear appropriately.
* Clarification: The Silt Taskforce (a joint effort between Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings District Council) is not looking at rate reduction for landowners looking to hydroseed silt hotspots. The Taskforce is working to get lower prices for landowners interested in such hydroseeding.
