Tongariro “think big” progress?

Focus on the Tongariro River natural flow, as it once was below the SH1 road bridge… So what happened since?

Today the Government announced the Action for healthy waterways package aimed at cleaning up our rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands, and has committed more than $700 million to help farmers, iwi/Māori, local government, and communities implement the reform measures.

The regulatory reform package delivers on the Government’s commitment to stop further degradation, make immediate improvements, and restore waterways within a generation.

Interesting aerial image of Turangi about fifty years ago. TRM is located on the right with access off Taupahi Road, which was originally the main north-south road. In the foreground on right was our old favourite pub – the DB Tavern located where Z petrol station and BurgerKing are now situated.

But I digress. This is supposed to be a fishy report for anglers. For the “before & after” exercise, TRM inmates compared the mighty Tongariro River, before and after the Ministry of Works (Uncle MOW) dealt to it. So what happened?

For about twenty years, until about 1980, the MOW used it as a major quarry to provide shingle for the construction of hydro dams and tail races and tunnels and canals.

This was planned abuse to a world-famous trout fishing river environment. Then the Council claim they care about the environment? In the “think big” era this was called “progress”. You would think they might learn…

Did you know that SH 41 on the left of the image leading towards the Tokaanu Power Station tailrace used to be the course of the Tongariro River. The original delta was where the tailrace cuts across about 1600 years ago. All the rest of the town site was formed by river sediment.

To prove they never learn, in 2018 they – Waikato Regional Council – were still at it trying to dictate and change the river flow.

Below are 2013 images of the lower Tongariro River to demonstrate the continual damage. Again, any detrimental effects on fishing and tourism were ignored.

Since the hydro power project now redirects much of the natural flow through the Tokaanu power station turbines, the remaining flow is not sufficiently strong enough to carry all the sediment into the lake and severe aggradation results raising the river bed. Councils prefer not to know…

These images serve as a reminder that despite the Government and Councils eco vandalism, the Taupo trout still have to spawn upriver. What great survivors. They have proved again and again that they can overcome the authorities destroying their habitat and spawning grounds. It is still a world-renowned trout fishing river.

DeLatours loop further down river used to provide the most important brown trout spawning nursery but was destroyed by Waikato Regional Council mistakes in 2013 trying to control the flow. i.e.

It is hard to believe the Council managed this. They are the same ones preaching about looking after the environment.

Tourist anglers still ask when the Council are going to restore access tracks downriver. They have been very patient and cannot believe that no remedial work has ever been attempted since 2013.

Anglers access tracks eroded away after more failures when they excavated a canal down the TLB to redirect the flow.
TLB (True Left Bank) track washed out opposite Reed Pool. As the damage is now all overgrown with blackberry the council prefer to pretend it never happened.

TRM anglers have long memories to remind us of the good ol’ days… Good on them to keep asking what is being done about it. They believe Government and Council are guilty as sin of major environmental damage and neglect. Someone should write a book about it to expose them…

Above is SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed is the Manager of everything at TRM) inspecting a vehicle access being constructed to remove gravel from the braids in June 2004. Below is the same image three days later. The pipes are still buried…

We repeat:

Today the Government announced the Action for healthy waterways package aimed at cleaning up our rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands, and has committed more than $700 million to help farmers, iwi/Māori, local government, and communities implement the reform measures.

The regulatory reform package delivers on the Government’s commitment to stop further degradation, make immediate improvements, and restore waterways within a generation.

So we sent this to them to put the Tongariro River restoration at the top of the list. Watch this space..