Waikato

This project will support delivery of river and catchment management projects in the Lower Waikato River catchment with a specific focus on those that flow into significant lakes and wetlands. This includes the catchments of Lakes Waikare, Waihi and Whangape and the Whangamarino and Opuatia wetlands as identified in the Waikato and Waipā River Restoration Strategy.

This project upgrades the pumps in up to five pump stations (four in Lower Waikato and one in Hauraki) which are critical to the ongoing flood protection of productive farmland to enable safe passage of native fish, particularly tuna (eels).

This project will see the upgrade of the foreshore east and west stopbanks to design standard. These stopbanks, constructed in 1961, provide coastal and flood protection to the pastoral land between the Waihou, Piako and Waitakaruru rivers.

Lake Kimihia is a Significant Natural Area of very high importance and value to Waikato-Tainui hapū, in particular Ngāti Naho, Ngāti Mahuta and Ngāti Whāwhākia. The land included in this project is owned by the Department of Conservation.

This project will see the structural upgrade of three pump stations which are critical in the protection of the Paeroa community. The pump stations allow for primary use of land, which is lower than the mean high tide level, and remove rain and flood waters to an agreed height. The work includes upgrading inlet bays, screens, handrails and platform access.

The Opuatia Wetland is in the lower Waikato River valley. It contains one of the five remaining restiad bogs in the Waikato region and has several other wetland types, including fen and marsh, which makes it a high value site of national importance. Large parts of the Opuatia Wetland are managed by the regional council and the Department of Conservation (DOC).

This project will complete the final section of stopbank on the Piako Flood Protection Scheme to the agreed level of service design height.

The Piako River flood scheme includes a range of flood protection assets to protect people and property from frequent flooding. These assets include drains, stopbanks, floodgates and pump stations that provide varying levels of protection depending on location and land use.

This new initiative is being piloted in the West Coast and Coromandel Zone harbour catchments. It will enable eligible landowners who permanently retire a stream, wetland or seep from grazing to have the retired area planted in appropriate native plants at no cost to them, subject to conditions and funding availability.

This project will ramp up the existing restoration works by Waikato Regional Council and Ngati Haua Mahi Trust (NHMT) underway in the Mangaonua and Karāpiro catchments.