Thursday Update 12/10

Website

Our new website is like a kitset house. The framework has been established, and while close to finished there is some tinkering still to do as we fit the contents.

I express my appreciation to Committee members, who raised the need to upgrade our website, and to Sylvia Smith as the catalyst to provide a way forward.

My thanks to Kristen Wilson and Trudi Holland for the understanding they brought to how the website should be, and for the hours of voluntary work they put in.

A special thanks to Mike Forret of  iconcept for the effort he has made to physically change the website.

It is especially pleasing to know the talent we have in our membership that enables ideas to be put into effect.

Again, thankyou.

Facebook

We have added Facebook to the site to enable feedback on issues raised by us.

The Lower River Pools

Today I went with Waikato Regional Councillor Laurie Burdett on a canoe trip from the State Highway 1 bridge to the Delta to look at the state of the lower river and t0 talk about the river with her.

The key points I noticed were:

  1. The river is artificially in two braids from the tail of the Bridge Pool to the Reed Pool. One month ago the two braids started at the tail of what was known as the Braids, but a recently built barrier forces half of the half of the Tongariro River to flow down the recently dug channel.
  2. It would be a very small raft that could negotiate the full length of the river covered by us due to the logs in the river between Smallman’s bend and deLatours pool.
  3. The issue of stock in the river has not been resolved.
  4. The river is not moving the sediment into the lake and there is a large plug at the delta.

001 Smallman\'s Bend
002 Near De Latours
003 Near De Latours
004 More debris
005 Debris causing islands
007 Near De Latours
008 Typical river below Graces Pool
009 Lower river
010 Poisoned willows
011 Native vegetation close to the river edge
012 Poisoned willows
013 Willows on the left bank
014 River narrows due to willow encroachment
015 Exit to the First mouth
016 The First Mouth

Walking Access Commission meeting

The Advocates will be represented at the meeting of the Walking Access Commission to be held at National Park on the 14th May.

Changes to my update

Originally, the intention for a Thursday Update was that it would assist visitors to make up their mind to come and enjoy the Tongariro River.Links to NZ met service weather forecast, Genesis Rainfall and Tongariro River flow graphs were in a significant spot on the website. These will now be placed in the Fishing Report which will be filed in Fishery under Issues. Access is easy from the new home page.

Eric Wilson

Secretary/Treasurer