Waihopai Catchment
The Living Streams project in the Waihopai catchment started in 2006 in response to concerns about water quality in the Waihopai River. Water quality is affected by land management throughout the entire catchment. Research has shown that careful management of soil and nutrients, stock exclusion from streams, and riparian planting are effective ways to improve water quality. Environment Southland decided to start up Living Streams projects in the Waihopai catchment to help the community to take action to protect and improve water quality.
Living Streams offers advice and financial incentives to landowners in the Waihopai for riparian fencing and other projects that will help to protect and improve water quality in the Waihopai River. We are currently working with communities in the following subcatchments of the Waihopai:
- Morton Mains
- Spurhead Creek
- Dacre
- Woodlands
- Upper Rimu
- Invercargill
From July 2011, we will extend our programme into Kennington and Rimu subcatchments.
Since 2006, the community has worked very hard to implement riparian management projects in the Waihopai catchment. So far, 25 landowners have participated in the programme.
List of achievements:
- So far, Waihopai landowners have put up 43.5km of new fences to exclude stock from waterways.
- They have upgraded three bridges and improved a culvert to reduce the amount of animal waste and sediment getting into the waterway.
- They have stabilized banks and established 215m of riparian plantings to provide shade and to filter overland run-off.
- One water system has been extended so stock no longer drink directly from the stream.
- A silage pad has been upgraded to prevent silage running into the waterway
Living Streams works alongside these landowners, providing advice and financial incentives to assist them with their projects. Our water quality monitoring programme keeps track of how water quality in the stream changes over time
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.