Mark Cosgrove and I attended the latest meeting of the Tongariro River Forum on Tuesday. The Forum has its origins in Project Watershed (Stopbank project) and an associated consent condition had a requirement for community consultation. The forum has been in existence since 2004.
At Tuesday”s meeting we learned that the gravel extraction consent has now gone to appeal and no work can be done until the appeal has been dealt with. We are not aware of any details associated with the appeal.
We were pleased that both The Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board (TMTB) and Ngati Turangitukua were present at the meeting. Topia Rameka Principal Advisor of the Water Rights Trust, an arm of TMTB), asked that there be an Integrated Catchment Management Plan. This was supported by the meeting and we look forward to working to achieve this goal. It has been the key reason for our existence.
In my last editorial I asked had I missed something with regard to the Taupo Sports Fishery Management Plan Review. I hadn’t. The document I received had a closing date of Monday 2 May 2011. This was an error and has been changed to Friday 8th July 2011. The Tongariro River Motel and Sporting Life both have the plan on their websites as does the Department of Conservation (DoC). The link to the DoC site is
DoC fisheries welcome your views. The feedback form is also on line.
The fishing is still hard despite my catching a fish yesterday. It was legal, probably 1kg, but very red flesh and a stomach bulging with an undigested koura (freshwater crayfish). I caught it in the Reed Pool which seemed unlikely due to the amount of sand in it. I think she was just passing through and had one bite too many. I went upstream this afternoon without a touch but saw an angler with a fish. It’s not a lot of evidence but it’s a start albeit a very late start. I hear that there are plenty of brown trout in the river at this time.
We are planning a working party to plant the right bank of the Breakfast Pool. I will notify the date through this page. Work continues in removing Pines from the area of the Judges Pool which means that the Loop track is closed.
The views across the river to the farmland interesting. Pines are also being removed from the area of the Plank Pool.
Regrowth of native vegetation will slowly change the view.The area planted a couple ofyears ago at the end of Taupahi Reserve is looking particularly good.
In the last month we have met for a second time with Turangitukua to discuss the Tongariro River Trail. We have applied to Taupo District Council for funding to scope the trail amd have met the Conservation Bord to request a change to the Kaimanawa Forest Park Management Plan to request a new track in the Park allowing mountain bike use. The track would link to the proposed track from Turangi along the True Right bank (as if you were floating downstream) of the river.
The Friends of Lake Taupo presentation to the Taupo District Council was well received. The webcam record of the meeting is online at Taupo District Council Website and is worth looking at. The website is www.taupodc.govt.nz    then the Menu button Your Council, then in next line Council meetings and minutes, then webcam for meeting of 31.5.11 and it is the third U tube clip. The power point presentation is also available through the same site www.taupodc.govt.nz Our Council, Meetings minutes agenda, Agenda for 31.5.11 Item2 Powerpoint. It is interesting and well worth a look, Our interest remains that when the lake level is high then the river is significantly slowed depositing sediment at the mouth creating a bar that results in flooding of surrounding land in times of flood and greater deposition than would be if the lake level was lower. Some who live around the lake edge are suffering effects of erosion
This page of our website from now on will be updated each Thursday.
The weather forecast for the weekend is looking grim. Perhaps the rain that comes this weekend will start the run of trout.
Tight Lines
Eric Wilson
Secretary Treasurer