More entertaining holiday reading in an update of TRM blog rave on
MAKE TURANGI GREAT AGAIN!
While Lake Taupo is again being maintained at very high summer levels, it is an appropriate opportunity to reflect on some issues with a simple solution on how to “Make Turangi Great Again” – by charging the rest of the North Island for “our” water they are using.
Regular readers of TRM blogs will know that Turangi enjoys the most perfect geographical location in NZ, halfway to everywhere in the North Island, where fifty years ago a major Government “Think Big” plumbing job redirected the snow-melt and rainfall from three National Parks north via the Tokaanu Power Station. In this exciting new era of “global warming,” threatening the introduction of 3 or 4 or 5 Waters (?), it is the perfect opportunity for Turangi to monitor the flow to charge everyone downstream of Turangi for “our” 100% pure clear mountain fresh runoff.
(JAFA’s – Just Another Fantastic Aucklander – should ignore everything SWMBO has mentioned before about DOC sanctioned 1080 poison polluting the water supply!)
For anyone who imagines this might be a highly speculative plot by cunning conspiracy theorists, we just have to remind you how many $millions Auckland were desperately keen to pay for “our” water being redirected out of the Waikato River. So this blog is to officially register Turangi’s interest first and charge the same teeny weeny $m3 rate before the Tongariro River flows out into the hydro dam, aka Lake Taupo, and spills over the Huka Falls into the Waikato region.
Also, as confirmation to any dubious doubters, the upper Tongariro River is officially listed on Geographical maps, etc. as “Waikato River” and signposted as such where it is crossed by the Desert Road. So any water extraction is from the same river as north of Hamilton.
Warning – Toe Paw might prefer to charge an additional $rate as well for storing Auckland’s water in the hydro lake, but Turangi absolutely deserves first dibs. The key to the entire Tongariro Hydro scheme is the mighty Tongariro River, which is the main feeder into Lake Taupo. When the major plumbing project of pipes and canals redirected other natural catchment runoff through the Tokaanu Power Station about 50 years ago, the capacity of Lake Taupo increased 20-25%, (depending on which report to believe?). This also involved pinching about half the natural flow from the world-famous Tongariro River. After fifty years later the major environmental problems this has caused are now more evident.
The reduced flow down the Tongariro River has resulted in serious “aggradation” in the lower Tongariro River which now threatens Turangi. (Aggradation is the geological term for the increase in river bed elevation due to the deposition of sediment. Aggradation occurs in areas in which the supply of sediment is greater than the amount of material that the system is able to transport.)
The eventual inevitable result is that the river bed rises and during this new era of “global warming” (introducing all manner of weather extremes – for evidence, look at the Australian floods!) Turangi will flood at higher levels than ever before. The original residential location in Turangi – to the east of SH1 previously known as Taupahi, was high and dry for 100 years before the Hydro Scheme and Turangi town was completed. TRM was previously unaffected by major floods (over 2,000 cumecs in 1958 & 2004) but now has been designated by Taupo Council expert consultants as being located in a “flood hazard” zone. All Turangi ratepayers now have to pay increased insurance for being located in a flood hazard zone.
But the danger is not from the Tongariro River, as the residential area is now protected by stop-banks, but from the flooded river hitting a “hydro dam” (aka Lake Taupo) at the delta due to the usually much higher lake level. Then the river backs up and floods Turangi.
Obviously, if the lake was maintained at lower levels as at present, this would never occur. But more often the lake level is adjusted to suit the power requirements to feed all those electric blankets and electric cars up in Auckland, so is held at artificially excessively higher levels for most of the year. That is when the aggradation increases and Turangi “flood hazard” zones are in danger.
It needs to be understood that during floods the Poutu canal, which redirects half the flow through the Tokaanu Power Station, is shut off to prevent the flood sediment and debris, such as abrasive pumice and ash, to travel along the canal to Lake Rotoaira and grind through the Tokaanu power station turbines. The dirty river then reverts to natural higher flows, compounded by pinched floodwater from the other lakes and rivers such as Moawhango and Whakapapa and W(h?)anganui Rivers. You will never read that in the Power Company PR releases. In other words, they are the primary cause of the potential for flooding. (i.e. not global warming!) The levels of local lakes like Lake Otamangakau is controlled from Huntly – not by the weather.
Historically, the conservation carnage and physical environmental vandalism to the scenic backcountry surrounding Turangi deserve some consistent measure of ongoing $ compensation. This has never been considered, until now…
As JAFA’s (Just Another Fantastic Aucklander) are to pay an additional levy to Waikato interests for their water supply, then it is only fair and reasonable that the source of their supply is adequately compensated too. SWMBO knew you would agree.
But now, after fifty years of compounded aggradation threatening Turangi, it is time to allocate a new constant reliable source of revenue to compensate and develop new tourist walk/bike trails to link Turangi’s “Tongariro River Trail with the rest of the world. Then they will generate a constant supply of tourists $$$ to create employment and secure the economic recovery and future of Turangi.
In case you imagine that Turangi is being ignored, in 2018 the Taupo Mayor has previously expressed his full support – see following Stuff article:
‘Great Walk’ to Turangi features in Taupō economic strategy
Robert Steven x Stuff, June 15 2018
An economic development plan for Taupō features an $18million walk/cycle trail … The “District Economic Strengthening Strategy” report has been approved by councilors and sent out for public scrutiny this week. It includes six “catalyst projects”, which involve … building a cycle trail from Turangi to Taupō (aka T2T).
It is hoped the proposed Turangi-to-Taupō cycle trail could join the list of New Zealand’s Great Walks, Trewavas said.
“It would be like the Otago Rail Trail.
“For all those areas down south [of Taupō], this would be a huge game-changer.
However, the cycle route could not go via the narrow, winding roads at Bulli Point, he said.
The trail would need to go inland, like the existing stretch of SH1 between Waitahanui and Hatepe.
“There is a long-term plan to divert [SH1] from Bulli Point, but it’s quite a fair way out,” Trewavas said.
“We’re advocating that the government bring that forward.”
Agreements with the owners of the land the trail would pass through, which is currently forestry, would also need to be reached, he said.
“It’s predominantly Maori-owned land.
“The potential economic benefits of the cycle trail would be huge, so we’re certainly trying to push our way through this with all stakeholders on board,” he said.
“It’ll be a walkway as well. It’d be great for accommodation providers and local businesses the whole way along the trail. It’s a huge opportunity for everyone.”
The total cost to build the track (specified as 2.5 metre wide) is estimated at $18.3 million
Taranaki Crossing: The most recent suitable bike trail precedent for comparison in the North Island is the 25 km Taranaki Crossing which created 30 short-term jobs and 12 permanent positions in addition to additional tourist income to food outlets and accommodation suppliers. Their $13.7 million funding came from the Provincial Fund to provide 25 km of tracks including bridges (a new bridge across the Manganui Gorge) boardwalks, track signage- tourist information panels, and rest stops. Since then the new partnership of DOC (Department of Conversation), MBIE (Ministry of Everything), and Iwi have invested $2.9 million.
Another interesting precedent for comparison in the South Island is the Lake Dunstan trail between Cromwell and Clyde. This took their local Trust about seven years to convince MBIE and DOC of the viability. Their expert consultants assessed the likely usage at about 7,000 tourists per annum. Last January alone over 12,000 rode the trail!
These examples confirm it is past time for Taupo Council to support and apply for funding to extend the Tongariro River Trail.
Other even more innovative solutions to fund all the biking/walking trails and other tourist attractions in Turangi is revealed in that exciting new book TONGARIRO Skulduggery – only available at Tongariro River Motel.
