Lake Tomarata neglect angers residents

A picture of abuse and neglect emerged from a meeting held at the Forest Reserve Hall, in Tomarata, last month, called to discuss issues associated with Lake Tomarata.

Nearly 40 people attended the meeting, chaired by Cr Grahame Powell.
Many speakers expressed disappointment at the continued degradation of the lake by inappropriate behaviour and environmental factors.

Illegal camping, litter, vandalism, dogs, jet skies, water quality and noxious weeds were among some of the more contentious issues.

“We don’t even go near the lake in summer,” one resident said. “It’s just not a place for locals to enjoy anymore when the holidays are on. There are places where the bottom of the lake is covered with broken glass, where people line bottles up and use them for target practise.”

Responding to criticism that Rodney District Council could do more to police activities and keep the area clean, parks and coastal operations manager Chris Burgess said lack of resources was the problem.

“The reality is that we have four officers for the whole of Rodney, which is 46 percent of the Auckland region – it’s just not always possible to respond every time we get a call,” he said.

Police also came in for their share of criticism for not responding to incidents. Wellsford officer in charge Paul Walker said police, too, had limited resources but suggested that a liquor ban could be a first step towards reducing some of the problems at the lake.

Some residents said they had tried to police the lake themselves but felt intimidated when visitors, who were often fuelled with alcohol, outnumbered them. A suggestion that CCTV cameras be installed at strategic locations was dismissed as ineffective and expensive. While some residents supported the idea of locking up the reserve at night, Mr Burgess said it would be an unusual step for Council.

“It’s not just out-of-towners who are causing the problems, there are locals who are causing a nuisance as well,” he said.

The meeting collected a list of names of people who were keen to take matters further. They identified the need to update the Lake Tomarata Management Plan and the liquor ban proposal as their first priorities.

Background
Tomarata is a dune lake and is the second smallest lake in the Auckland region that is monitored. It is only about 300m wide and 600m long, with a catchment of about 83 hectares. More than 90 percent of the lake is more than four metres deep. In 1999, a survey of the vegetation around the lake found the rare wire rush, previously thought to be extinct in the Auckland region. Other native vegetation included two types of sedge, raupo, and umbrella fern, with manuka further from the shoreline.
The submerged aquatic plants that were growing in the lake during the 1999 survey have disappeared, even though there is enough light for them to grow. This lack of plant cover means that the lake no longer provides good habitat for trout so Fish & Game may not release any more trout into Lake Tomarata. The plant community may recover if the pest fish can be controlled and if the water clarity can be returned to its original level. Auckland Regional Council

Feelings were running high at the public meeting called to discuss issues associated with Lake Tomarata.