Waituna Lagoon open to the sea

The Waituna Lagoon was mechanically opened to the sea yesterday afternoon at Walkers Bay.

The opening involved creating a channel from the lagoon to the sea using a bulldozer and an excavator.

Environment Southland general manager integrated catchment management Lucy Hicks said after weighing up the pros and cons and seeking advice from experts, we made the decision to open the lagoon to prevent ecological harm.

“We’ve considered the timing, the need to flush nutrient-laden waters to prevent sustained algal growth like we saw this summer, while considering the needs of Ruppia and other macrophytes which germinate and grow in spring/summer.”

“This opening will also support the community, which has been impacted by the high water level for the last few weeks.”

“We hope the lagoon will remain open for the next few weeks and we’ll continue to monitor the lagoon’s ecological health.”

Waituna Lagoon is part of the Awarua-Waituna wetland complex and was among the first sites in the world to be named "a wetland of international significance" under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

It is home to many species of native birds, plants, fish and insects, and is a culturally important site for Ngāi Tahu. The lagoon is also a significant trout fishery and a popular walking area.

The lagoon has been mechanically opened to the sea many times over the years. A joint resource consent application to open Waituna Lagoon to the sea has been lodged by Te Rūnanga o Awarua, the Department of Conservation, and Environment Southland and attracted 51 submissions.