Lake Ōkāreka water levels update, June 2019
In contrast to the autumn 2017, autumn 2019 has been a relatively dry period and lake levels have been maintained within the normal operational range.
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In contrast to the autumn 2017, autumn 2019 has been a relatively dry period and lake levels have been maintained within the normal operational range.
In contrast to the autumn 2017, autumn 2019 has been a relatively dry period and lake levels have been maintained within the normal operational range.
However, Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff have not been resting on this matter and it may seem to lake side residents things have quietened down, our staff have continued to take a raft of actions to prepare for possible high lake levels and the need to allow high flows from the lake in the future.
The following is a brief update of current activity:
Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff continues to monitor the water levels at Lake Ōkāreka and the quantity of water flowing down the Waitangi Stream.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff continues to monitor the water levels at Lake Ōkāreka and the quantity of water flowing down the Waitangi Stream.
As of today, the Lake Ōkāreka water level is still sitting within 185mm of the target range maximum.
Council staff have been able to maintain this level since May through discharging 360L/s water under the emergency consent.
Staff have maintained this moderate flow to ensure that no excessive pressure has been put on the Waitangi Stream through this time.
Last month a working party meeting was held with various parties from Lake Ōkāreka, Lake Tarawera and local iwi.
As an outcome of the meeting, a draft resource consent application is being prepared to allow a higher flow to be discharged down the Waitangi Stream while it is expected that the permanent protection works for the Waitangi Stream will be authorised by the emergency consent.
The protection work would involve engineering rock design areas of the stream with the highest risk of erosion.
Geotechnical investigations have revealed risk areas of the stream bank in some locations. The investigations have shown that there was the risk of stream bank failure without additional flows down the stream. The need to discharge increased flows during 2017 initiated the geotechnical investigations that identified this risk.
For more information, please contact info@rotorualakes.co.nz.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is about to invoke the emergency works provisions of the Resource Management Act to address rising lake levels around the Rotorua region going into winter.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is about to invoke the emergency works provisions of the Resource Management Act to address rising lake levels around the Rotorua region going into winter.
Council is taking this action before the winter months for two reasons.
The Lake Ōkāreka water level is already high and exceeds the target range now by more than 200mm after recent weather events.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Lakes Operation Manager Andy Bruere said it was difficult to predict what risk to homes and infrastructure there was over winter.
"It is expected that lake levels will keep rising and if Council undertakes to discharge a higher flow rate now, it is likely that we can address the risk of high lake levels while discharging a lower flow in the Waitangi Stream."
This would have the impact of reducing potential damage to the stream through the winter, he said.
The second reason was if lake levels continued to rise, as Council expected during winter, and homes were at risk of flooding then Bay of Plenty Regional Council would have limited ability to respond in a meaningful way.
"Our ability to lower the lake is restricted by the outlet pipeline and the auxiliary pump that we installed last year," Mr Bruere said.
"In effect, a major storm event can raise the lake level up to 250mm in a single day where our ability to lower the lake is limited to less than 10mm per day."
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is required to obtain consent for the ongoing emergency works. Work will begin today.
In addition, Council is working with the communities around Lake Ōkāreka and Lake Tarawera to find a long-term solution to this problem. This work will be ongoing.
Check out images taken of Lake Ōkāreka water levels at Acacia Bay Reserve on 13 November 2017.
An image taken of Lake Ōkāreka water levels at Acacia Bay Reserve on 13 November 2017.
Stream-bank erosion protection work has been underway on Waitangi Stream this week.
Stream-bank erosion protection work has been underway on Waitangi Stream this week.
The aim was to complete work by 25 January so water flow from Lake Okareka could be increased to 500 l/s, which has been done.
As shown in the graph below, the Lake Okareka water level has been dropping in recent weeks and is almost back within the consented range.
We will continue to monitor lake level changes and keep you informed.
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