About the project

The Lower Waituna Creek transformation project is a multi-phase ecological restoration, wetland reconnection and water management project. It is being undertaken in partnership with the Department of Conservation’s Arawai-Kakariki programme and the Whakamana Te Waituna project.

Mostly being carried out on public land, this ‘proof of concept’ project includes completing hydraulic assessments, and designing and implementing riparian in-stream habitat improvement, and nutrient and sediment management interventions e.g. sediment traps, two-stage channels, nutrient filters.

Benefits

This project will demonstrate the use of different restoration and water management concepts that could potentially be scaled up and implemented throughout the catchment.

Progress

• Concept planning completed in 2016
• Hydraulic assessments and detailed planning and design for Phase 1 to be completed by end of 2017
• Phase 1 construction, including installing instream habitat structures, bank re-profiling, and plantings planned for early 2018
• Project team currently undertaking fish and habitat monitoring with plans to install interpretation information for the public
• Phase 2 concept planning will be undertaken in 2018

WHAT'S NEXT

• Phase 1 construction in early 2018
• Phase 2 planning and design in 2018