Our Response
To minimise the risk of flipping, a number of initiatives are underway. This information will be updated regularly as new initiatives begin and updates to progress can be made.
Farm Visits – Environment Southland's Land Sustainability team is providing advice and assistance on land management practices to farmers in the catchment, particularly for the critical winter grazing period.
Lagoon Technical Group (scientists working on the lagoon issues) – Environment Southland convened this specialist group to provide independent, expert, scientific advice to Environment Southland on lagoon and water quality science. The science will contribute to efforts by Environment Southland and other stakeholders to minimise the risk of the Waituna Lagoon ‘flipping’ to an algae dominated state.
The Lagoon Technical Group was initially established in early 2011 with the urgent task of providing short-term immediate guidance to minimise the risk of the Lagoon flipping. This task was completed with the preparation of the Interim Lagoon Recommendations, which included:
- water quality targets for lagoon health;
- recommendations for lagoon sediment and nutrient load reductions;
- guidelines (in the form of trigger levels) to support lagoon opening decisions;
- recommendations for monitoring
These guidelines will be reviewed later in 2012.
The next steps for this group include helping to prepare the Technical Strategy for ongoing science, recommending further research to understand lagoon processes and providing expert scientific review of any proposed options to improve lagoon water quality.
Catchment Technical Group (scientists working on whole-of-catchment issues) - Environment Southland has convened this specialist group to provide independent, expert, scientific advice to Environment Southland and its governance partners (DOC, iwi) on surface water, groundwater and soil science. The science will assist in increasing the understanding of the functioning of the Waituna Lagoon catchment and will contribute to efforts by Environment Southland and other stakeholders to minimise the risk of the Waituna Lagoon ‘flipping’ to an algae dominated state.
The key task for this group is to provide scientific advice on how to model the interactions between surface water, groundwater and soils/agricultural systems in order to provide options for significantly reducing the load of nutrients and sediment reaching the lagoon. This group will also assist in the preparation of the Technical Strategy for ongoing science and will provide expert scientific review of any proposed options to improve catchment water quality.
Drainage Enhancement – In early 2012, clearing along the Waituna Creek was carried out to remove weed and sediment, and improve farm drainage.
As part of the Clean-up Fund application, Environment Southland applied for funding to complete rebattering work along the worst affected areas of the Waituna Creek and its tributaries. This project in now underway. The Clean-up Fund was also asked for funding to support several constructed wetlands and sediment trap trials. Investigations into where these might be most effective is currently underway.
Education / Awareness - A 'plain English' factsheet has been created, which explains about the lagoon, the issues, and what 'flipping' means, as well as to provide some advice on what farmers can do to minimise their effects in the catchment.
Newsletter and email updates are sent regularly to stakeholders and landowners in the catchment and are all available for download on the main Waituna page.
Staff and councillors are available to attend or present to community group meetings, schools and other interest groups. Please contact the Communications team at Environment Southland to arrange this.
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.