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Sustained improvements in faecal indicator bacterial levels in the Hakaru River near Topuni, north of Wellsford, have earned a New Zealand River award for Northland’s most improved river.
The Hakaru River originates in native and pine forest in the Brynderwyn hills and flows south through farmland until it reaches the Topuni River and feeds into an arm of the Kaipara harbour.
Northland Regional Council Chairman Bill Shepherd recently accepted the most improved river award on behalf of the Hakaru community and Northland ratepayers.
Cr Shepherd said the river’s steady recovery is testament to the cumulative effect of landowners and environmental groups working with support from the council, NZ Landcare Trust and Department of Conservation.
Those efforts had been responsible for a 10 per cent improvement in E.coli levels in the Hakaru River every year for the last 10 years.
One large sheep and beef farm implemented management practices that included a significant amount of stream fencing and pest control work.
There have also been improvements in land management on local dairy farms. Many farms have installed more effluent ponds, with most having two to four ponds, which provide greater storage and more effective effluent management.
In addition, environmental groups are working hard on improving water quality and controlling pests such as goats, pigs and possums with support from the regional council’s Environment Fund.
“Many activities have led to this great result and similar results are being achieved in catchments around the region,” Cr Shepherd said.
The New Zealand River Awards were established by the Cawthron Foundation to recognise community efforts to improve water quality in local rivers.
The foundation is a registered charity which supports independent research to benefit New Zealand’s environment.
