Concerns about changes to peat dome

Concerns that changes may have been made in the Kopuatai Peat Dome, hindering its ability to absorb waters from the April floods, are to be investigated.

Stu Husband, Waikato Regional Councillor chair of integrated catchment services, says farmers in the North Waikato believe something is not normal about the most recent floods and many think there may be management changes to the peat dome which has affected its ability to cope with flood water.

“The Kopuatai Peat Dome has a role in flood control. It dries out in summer and absorbs water in winter. Council is taking farmers’ concerns seriously and there needs to be a full investigation into them.”

The Kopuatai Peat Dome, on the Hauraki Plains, 70 km northeast of Hamilton, is a freshwater wetland. At 10,201 ha it is the largest unaltered “restiad” peat bog in New Zealand and is also unique globally. The area is gazetted as a Wetland Management Reserve under the Conservation Act 1987 and managed by the Department of Conservation.

The Kopuatai Peat Dome has a role in flood control.

Locals believe dams or weirs may have been constructed in the area of the peat dome, retaining water when it should have been allowed to dry out.

David Speirs (director, operations, Hauraki/Waikato/Taranaki Region), says the Department has water level management structures in six outlet drains around the Kopuatai Peat Dome (wetland). “They were installed in April 2013. They were constructed to retain minimum water levels in the wetland to ensure the edges do not dry out during dry periods, and are fully inundated at flood levels. Therefore these structures will be having no impact on the current high water levels in the catchment.

“DOC has information that there are other old weirs in the Kopuatai around duck ponds that duck hunters built many years ago. We are auditing and compiling this information as part of our review for huts/ponds in the 2017/18 financial year.”

This is tough

Stu says while farmers accept they are in a flood plain, they don’t expect waters to take so long to drain away. “The human cost is significant. Some farmers have had 90 per cent of their farms underwater. They have lost production and income. Farmers are resilient but this is tough.

“We have had so many offers of help from experienced people and are encouraging farmers not to try to cope on their own. If you put your hand out, they’ll be someone there to help – no problems.”

Matamata Federated Farmers chairman Ben Moore says the response of the rural community, including organisation, council, companies and individuals has been outstanding.

“One farmer had to shift 500 cows and we were able to do that over two days. Two hundred of his cows will stay off farm next season. Meanwhile that farmer and others have to get grass seed in now if they can. It’s so wet some may have to apply it by helicopter.”

The floods have followed a tough, and very wet spring, and a summer in which some Waikato farms dried out.

Disaster responses

Waikato Federated Farmers president Chris Lewis says, earthquakes and adverse weather event in the last six months has challenged and honed the disaster response skills of Federated Farmers and other support agencies teams throughout the country.

The response to the April floods in the Bay of Plenty and North Waikato has demonstrated the effectiveness of groups coming together to help, each specialising in its area of expertise. Those involved included dairy companies, DairyNZ, Ministry for Primary Industries, Beef & Lamb, Rural Support Trust, Rural Women and Federated farmers.

“Federated Farmers set up flood teams and a feed line where we linked people needing feed or grazing with people ready to offer it. Our team used GSI mapping a bit like speed dating, matching people needing help with the closest offer, and putting them in touch.”


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