Update from TRM Daily Report: 1 February 2012
Taupo’s first trout farm site?
Continuing with the third report in the exciting series on the lower Tongariro River changes…
Your first big question today is: where and what is this clearing for?
The location is down river between the Bends Pool (aka Trolley Pool) extending about 2 hectares (5 acres in English) to the north through to the De Latours Reach – midway between the end of Graces Road and Downs Pool on the TLB.
Local anglers have been very helpful. The first local fisho interviewed by SWMBO was absolutely convinced it was the government’s secret site for Taupo’s (& NZ’s?) first trout farm? The locals are very suspicious in Turangi.
The next was convinced it was a new car park for anglers?
The third claimed it was all part of the Regional Council’s and DoC’s obsession to clear the lower river of willows?
The fourth swears it is a new marae site for another Tuwharetoa Ngati Turangitukua hapu?
Fifth opinion was a site for a fishing lodge? etc. SWMBO prefers the first suggestion.
The important improvement for keen fit river anglers is that this new bulldozed track provides much easier “waddling in waders” access much further than previously available.
It extends from the car park on TLB of Reed Pool past Smallmans Reach beach continuing to the Bends and then through to the vehicle track (access track from the end of Awamate Road) that leads back up river to De Latours Pool opposite the car park at the end of Grace Road. Many years ago anglers could drive down to De Latours but that track has long gone.
Car access is available from the Crescent to Reed Pool. Beyond that the track is blocked off .
The TLB below De Latours Pool was previously a good stretch for spotting brownies at this time of the year but at present the cattle have been removed and the result is the vegetation has grown so high it makes stalking and spotting a lottery – not to mention problems with the back cast.
But the brown trout will still be there lurking under the bank (waiting to ambush unsuspecting rainbow trout?).
The meandering horseshoes of the Tongariro River provide for a slower strong steady flow from De Latours to the Delta. This entire river delta developed after the big eruption which formed Lake Taupo approximately three hundred thousand or so years ago – I think it was on a Sunday. (Turangi and TRM were originally located in the lake.)
At first glance the lower river appears to have hardly changed at all compared to the constant major changes in the upper river channels reformed and re-routed by annual floods.
The changes in the lower river are more sneaky below the surface and not obvious until you try to wade it. The soft sand and silt, including toxic volcanic ash erosion from Mt. Ruapehu’s last eruption in 1996, is now spread throughout the slower lower river. Unfortunately this must be detrimental to our biggest brown trout nursery and habitat for thousands of savage Brown trout (stalking rainbow trout?).
Anglers constantly remind us that if the lake level was even just slightly reduced to natural levels (for say two months at this time each year) and the delta was dredged in time for the annual floods (usually January or February), all this sand would be carried naturally out into Lake Taupo.
Traditionally this was nature’s way to keep the river bottom clear of excessive aggradation (the process of a river depositing sediment on its bed, thereby raising its level) for the hundred thousand or so years before the wonderful hydro power scheme of the 1970′s.
Now the Tongariro River flow is halved and has insufficient hydraulic power to suspend the silt to Lake Taupo, so accelerated aggradation is raising the river bed requiring a major excavation (flood prevention) programme extending all down and through your best favourite fishing pools of course – where else?
Update 16 March 2011
(From Daily Report)
(Below Downs Pool from TLB)
In summary, for anglers it is not worth the effort but a good place to exercise the dog.
Update 12 March 2011
The Advocates on a raft journey down the Tongariro River.
This is what they do on their day off. I checked but did not see any fishing rods on board.
The Advocates Committee members were: Stuart Crosbie (Skipper), Mark Cosgrove (Photographer), Heather Macdonald (Guide), John Wheeler (Surveyor), Graeme Nahkies (Engine Room & Bailer). They were surveying the lower Tongariro pools (not for fishing) but to view the damage from the last flood in late January and resultant silting up of the pools as part of their preparation for submission on the Gravel Extraction application. This issue will be a major concern to all fishos during 2011. They had arranged for Eric Wilson (I’ll bet he was fishing?) to meet them at the delta to tow their raft across to the Tokaanu marina.
Update: March 4 2011
Images above are of the new access track - thanks to DoC again - to provide access from the end of Graces Road up river on the TRB (True Right Bank) towards the Parade, Smallmans and Jones Pools.
The access tracks were washed out in the 665 m3 flood in late January and anglers access from the end of Graces Road through to Reeds Pool was impossible.
The images on left show the old track route and above on right the new track which is much wider and provides easy access up river.
The only remaining small fishable beaches above Delatours are also shown.
Anglers previously referred to the pool on right as the Trolley Pool, as a supermarket trolley washed down the river emerged at various pools each season and was last seen poking out at this pool just down river around the corner from the Bends.
This was to identify it separately from the Bends Pool which was just around the corner up river. But now the Bends Pool has been wiped out perhaps we should refer to this as the “new” Bends Pool.
The beach is reduced to about quarter of the size of the previous beach but the pool can easily be waded a good distance down river.
February 2011:
Tongariro flood damage.
Following the big 665 m4/sec flood last Sunday are images below to illustrate how the lower river has been trashed.
Poignant images of the lower Tongariro flood include these five trout – 3 browns, 2 rainbows – stranded as the flooded river retreated – as the tide went down.
If you look closely in the foreground of the dead trout you will also identify the spidery legs of a large koura – freshwater lobster – and several tiny trout that were left stranded.
The location was on the TRB (True Right Bank) back from Jones Pool, where most of the beach was washed away.
Other examples of the extent of damage from such floods – on the track down to Reed Pool – and throughout the bush were thousands of stranded tiny trout.
(The surrounding bush on the anglers access track to Reed Pool looked more like a scene from a Peter Jackson movie with the mud left behind as the river backed up.)
Since last Sunday’s flood TRM have had a “flood” of genuinely concerned angler enquiries about the reasons why? Why does the river flood and what is being done about it. TRM have tried to explain the issues and problems previously. So the following is a repeat response to those latest enquiries to briefly scope the big picture problem.
(The track below the bends Pool washed away)
Basically the problem is simple. So is the solution… In any natural environment a river would flow into the lake and would carry the silt with it, as it has done for the last few thousand years. But with the Tongariro River there is a major accelerated aggradation (the process of a river depositing sediment on its bed, thereby raising its level) issue. About 30 years ago engineers meddled with nature and raised the level of Lake Taupo to suit the Government’s commercial agenda, to suit hydro power requirements to increase the supply of water down the Waikato River and through the Tokaanu ower Station for hydro power generation. But nothing was done to minimise the damaging effects on the Tongariro River, despite the Tongariro being recognised internationally as one of the greatest trout nurseries in the world. (They would never get away with that today.)
(The shambles of flood debris at what was Jones Pool beach)
The images illustrate a tiny visible portion of the problem. The invisible portion – under the surface water, is far more serious.
To feed the demand for electricity, Lake Taupo is controlled by Mighty River Power at maximum (i.e. excessive) levels. So when the river floods it has nowhere to go. The flood hits the water dam (Lake Taupo) and backs up, spreading tonnes and tonnes of silt all through the lower reaches, also spreading out over adjoining privately owned properties. The natural process of aggradation has been greatly accelerated. There is no allowance for annual floods, and the likely damage they can do, at all.
(Tail of Reed Pool beach washed away)
Their cheap option, band aid, ambulance at the bottom of the cliff reaction from the big 2004 flood (which reached over 1400 m3/sec) has been to build stop banks – as in front of Tongariro Lodge at the braids. These do nothing towards fixing the problem. If continued , they will convert the mighty Tongariro River into a hydro canal.
The power company maintains the lake at artificially high levels to feed the power stations down the Waikato River. The only way to prevent further flooding in Turangi is to lower the lake level (for – say – two years?). Then these annual floods would flush out all the sand and silt and ash from the lower river into Lake Taupo.
(The Bends Pool – also known as the Trolly Pool – reduced in size)
This problem started with the Tongariro Power Project removing half the water flow via canals to Lake Rotoaira and through the Tokannu Power Station about 30 years ago. Now the silting up problems are able to be seen.
The Tongariro must be the only major river in NZ that does not even have a sustainable catchment management plan – despite Government and EW (Environment Waikato) promises – to address the silting and inevitable flooding issues in the future.
(A cicada trying to emerge and climb out of its hole. We gave him a hand out… and pointed him towards the river)
Now EW’s latest Resource Consent Application is to excavate the metal in the lower river as a flood control response. The application was for 300,000 m3 per year for thirty years, but they are wasting their time playing with nature. It is their “political strategy” response. One single flood like last Sunday would fill all their excavations with silt overnight. Yet everyone agrees that any mechanical extraction is better than building more stop banks, but it does not address the real issue.
If they lowered the lake level for a short period – say 2 years – nature’s floods would flush all the silt out naturally and far more effectively for another thirty years. Otherwise the images tell the story of what anglers must expect more of in the future. The solution is so easy. All anglers are asking for the Tongariro River is an integrated catchment management plan to address all these issues – to protect the river for future generations of anglers to enjoy. That is perfectly reasonable. But that requires EW, the regional council, to face up to its obligations…
All Town Pool and Lower River Pools are likely to be subject to major physical changes in 2011 as the result of substantial river bed works for erosion control & flood protection with a resource consent application for up to 150,000 m3/year for the next 35 years to be removed from below Hydro Pool to the Delta.
Refer to comment below by the Advocates for the Tongariro River:
Tongariro River Gravel Extraction Consent
December 7, 2010
7.12.10
There has been much interest in the Advocates position on the Gravel extraction consent which has been applied for by Environment Waikato.
Turangi experienced a 1 in 100 year flood in February 2004. The flood of 1958 was slightly larger and caused much damage within the river environment. Should another flood the size of 1958 or 2004 return then Turangi is in danger of flooding. Apart from moving the town to another location which is not a realistic option, the town can be protected by increasing the size of the stop banks or removing material that has built up and which endangers the town.
Given this option the Advocates support the removal of gravel and volcanic ash from the river bed to assist the river to move the bed load through to the lake. We do however have reservations about the consent document.
Our concerns are:
1. The action is piecemeal and not part of an overall plan for the river. Our desire is for an Integrated Catchment Management Plan (ICMP) to focus on the whole river and not just a section of it. We want to see an ICMP.
2. The consent period is for 35 years. We see a period of 3 years as reasonable at this time.
3. The consent document is too broad and lacks detail. Many who have seen the document think that 150,000 cubic meters per year will be removedeach year for 35 years, which is not the case, but can be read into the intent of the document. There is concern at the meaning of “diverting the river from the area of the Hydro Pool” by many.
4. The river as a fishery is seen as threatened by many. We don’t see the threat given that the fishery was not affected by the gravel removals at the time of the construction of the town and again recently when some 30,000 cubic meters were removed. We wish to see the consent spell out more strongly the protection of the fishery
The full consent document can be read by clicking on ftp://tongarirorivapps:PrUkcflx@pubftp.ew.govt.nz
It is a big document and takes time to load.
The Advocates will make a submission on these points and other such as an opportunity to dredge the mouth of the river. If you wish to make a submission then it must be with Environment Waikato by the 17th December.
An opportunity exists for you to give us your opinions through this website and we would welcome your opinions.
Eric Wilson
Secretary/Treasurer
(Update – from Daily report) 18 September 2008:
….Other images today are of the lower river to illustrate the crossing – which is now too deep for crossing – over from RHS below Reed/Jones Pool. We mentioned this last week and have since had another angler taking a cold dip in waders.
Not recommended… you could lose your rod.
You can see the water was still a slight milky colour from the pumice and snow melt so he must have relied on memory and assumed the crossing was still possible. From the LHS it is very obvious this spot has deepened considerably.
So to get to these pools down the true LHS you now need to take the long tramp down river from the Crescent car park on Tautahanga Road – from the Swirl Pool car park – past the Log Pool access tracks and turn in where the tree leans across the track. Other obvious visual changes down river include the loss of the small beach at the Bends – see photo right – where they did the filming for the Destination trout NZ book and video, which made this spot far too popular.
All the usual lies have changed down through this stretch of the lower river so be prepared to try everywhere.
28 May 2008 – Poutu Canal
maintenance programme postponed until 2009. Canal re-opened and
Tongariro River now back to the managed level of a minimum of 16 cumecs
below the dam which, after additional flows from various tributaries
such as Waipa, Whitikau, Poutu, Mangamawhitwhiti, etc. results in
approximately 23 cumecs at Major Jones Pool.
2007 Report Warning – The rating of this pool had to be revised after it featured in the Tongariro River section of the 2006 Book/DVD/video combo “Destination Trout”. As a result of this unfortunate exposure it has been over crowded despite the access becoming more difficult. Part of the access track along the river was washed out during the November 2006 floods.
As such, for 2007 the rating was reduced to reflect more difficult road and track access and excessive traffic for the size of the pool. Anglers are warned to be careful wading. Soft sand has increased the wading possibilities and some spots which were previously wade-able are now either too deep or too full of snags. Hopefully some new pools might emerge from the ever changing river bed.
2006 Report
Car park at end of Grace Road after rain. Track located opposite car in foreground.
In 2006 DoC contractors widened the walking track so now it is easy to identify and anglers traffic has increased considerably – most regulars claim it is excessive considering the limitations of choice.
The road was re-metalled from the braided section (opposite Plank Pool) so that it is now mainly above the flood plain except when very wet.
Since then the fines have been washed out and the surface is only suitable to 4WD vehicles (or rental cars?).
DoC Notice Board at end of Grace Road.
The track entrance is located about 30 metres back from the parking area and the obsolete DoC signboard at the end of the road.
If anglers’ vehicles are parked ahead of you at the end of Graces Road it is probable that the best lies have already had a thrashing and will need time to recover.
This track is an alternative walking access to the Reed Pool and
Smallman’s Reach section. The track emerges on the RHS river bank with several limited wading spots on the way up-river to the Bend – about 15 minutes waddling in waders.
The Bend is the most popular pool, where the river takes a sharp right hand turn. There is a small beach with adequate room for a big back cast to fish the shallows out to the main current. In clear conditions many trout can often be seen lying in the shallow water above the deep corner pool so a stealthy approach is recommended. The pool falls into a deep hole on the corner and then widens away to the right – down river. The tail of this pool, where it widens out, is also wadeable and is a reliable producer. A small beach which offers good wading for nymphing and wet lines is Smallmans Reach, 5 minutes further up-river on the way to the pools, between Reeds-Jones-Parade pools. Another warning – this lower river area has more problems with snags than regular upper river users may be used to. It would be fair to suggest that the middle-upper river is more suitable for fly fishing – the fish may not like the lack of cover whilst anglers like the lack of snags. But fish prefer all the cover from numerous large snags down river.
The river bank from Graces Road to the Bends is also good for spotting big trout early in the season as they hide in/behind/under/amongst the willow roots and the fallen log jams. Occasionally they get sucked in by a deviously presented woolly bugger and then the challenge really starts as they know every snag in the river. Another lower Tongariro enthusiast, Brent Purser from Noosa wet lining Sept. 06. Don’t expect to land every hook up. Anglers often “complain” as the trout are so fighting fresh at this early stage of their spawning run they are either impossible to land or immediately find a snag to break off most anglers. This river stretch probably has the lowest rate of successful landings anywhere. (At the time of taking the photos on 10 August 2006 after a decent flood – refer photos, four anglers’ reports were: 1 – hooked five, landed one, 2 – hooked six, landed one, 3 – hooked three, lost three, 4 – skunked)
Comparatively the fish prefer the cover provided down river but many fly fishermen do not enjoy it due to frustrations
from less time fishing while often having to replace gear.
Nevertheless, this stretch has some regular devotees who know the lies and seldom fish anywhere else.
Summer fishing down river is also interesting, when this lower river is usually deserted, to quietly meander up river during the evening rise or during the cicada hatch. Dry flies do not appear to snag so often. Do not venture too far off the main tracks. Visiting anglers from Tasmania – who shall remain nameless – got lost down here as darkness descended after the evening rise on a moonless night. They took several hours to find the track back to Graces Road just before local mozzies devoured them.
This stretch of the lower river requires Huckleberry Finn type unorthodox tactics and particularly special roll casting skills – a real challenge for Summer anglers
On some of the old maps this Bends pool was named the Fence Pool – not to be confused with the Fence Pool above the Whitikau at the winter limit. Many pools named below this point were popular back in the dark ages when the only access to the Tongariro River for pioneering anglers was by boat across to the delta from Tokaanu. The usual trip from Taupo was by ferry via the Tokaanu Hotel. So it took many years before the upper river became popular. The 1928 map names sixteen pools and “reaches” from the end of Graces Road down to the delta. By 1974 these had reduced to nine. Now they are but a faint memory…
On the 1977 river maps the walking tracks extended down river to Cobhams Pool on the RHS and to Dog Island on the LHS. Delatour lived for his fishing at the turn of last century. According to P. J. Burstall, Conservator of Wildlife, De Latour was a scientist who took a private interest investigating the fisheries. He fished the Tongariro and the Waitahanui where a pool is also named after him. Jason Klivington from Portland, USA, practicing his bow & arrow style casting at big browns hiding behind flood debris. Even if he hooked up there would not be much chance of a successful landing from these positions. 20 January 2007.
One day, when NZ elects a Prime Minister who is a fly fisho, DoC will remove the riverside debris and flood carnage to extend the walking tracks down to the delta and this lower forgotten stretch of the Tongariro could recover it’s glory days. Could some one out there encourage John Key to go fly fishing?? Update August 2008 – Another angler’s advice from web site forum for Delatours Pool
Lower river access … drive to the end of the airport road (first left after the town bridge). Drive through the big gravel puddle at the end of the road; don’t be scared to hoof it thru’ – let me know how you go if the river’s up though 
then park at the gate/ mud roundabout. There’s a track heading in the rough direction of the township about 10 metres from the fishing sign – wade down the track 150-200m until you see a sandy bank just through the leafless willow trees on your right. Fish that bank (Daniel’s Stretch) up to a second small sand bank (fish is under the upper willow handing into the river on your side), then duck under the trees 10 metres to a deep hole, just before the quick water on the corner. Stand on the trees hanging into the water a biff a globug with 2 splitshot up into the top of the hole. You should catch at least half a dozen fish in two hours here on a good day without getting your feet wet. And loose half a dozen flies on the snags in the hole. But don’t tell anyone, it’s our secret, right.
These Pool Reports for the Tongariro River are prepared from guest/anglers experiences. As such, Tongariro River Motel do not accept any responsibility for the opinions of other anglers who are traditionally acknowledged liars about their best fishing pools.