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Proposed Waitaha Hydro: Blue Duck Study Report

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WESTPOWER LTD ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED WAITAHA HYDRO SCHEME ON WHIO/BLUE DUCK (HYMENOLAIMUS MALACORHYNCHOS) Prepared for: Westpower Limited, Greymouth 27 June 2014 Sustainability Solutions Ltd Christchurch WESTPOWER LTD ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED WAITAHA HYDRO SCHEME ON WHIO/BLUE DUCK (HYMENOLAIMUS MALACORHYNCHOS) PREPARED FOR: Westpower Limited P.O. Box 375 Greymouth Phone: 03 768 9300 Email: [email protected] BY: Fred Overmars Sustainability Solutions Ltd P.O. Box 9384 Tower Junction Christchurch 8149 New Zealand Phone: 027 699 7389 Email: [email protected] DATE: 27 June 2014 Photographs © Fred Overmars unless otherwise acknowledged COVER PHOTO: Adult blue duck (left) and Class IV duckling (right) on bank of Waitaha River at Kiwi Flat, below the confluence with Whirling Water. The other parent was present nearby. Photo P1080568, 14/12/2012. i CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 2 PROPOSED WAITAHA HYDRO SCHEME ...................................................................... 5 2.1 Scheme Description ............................................................................................... 5 2.2 Synopsis of Activities in Relation to Scheme Footprint and Time Frames ............ 9 3 BLUE DUCK IN WAITAHA HYDRO SCHEME AREA ...................................................... 11 3.1 Biology, Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation Status ........................................ 11 3.2 Habitats in the Scheme Area ............................................................................... 14 3.2.1 Waitaha River and Catchment ................................................................. 14 3.2.2 Kiwi Flat .................................................................................................... 15 3.2.3 Abstraction Reach and down to Douglas Creek Confluence ................... 16 3.2.4 Aquatic Environment ............................................................................... 17 3.3 Population in the Scheme Area and Adjoining Waterways ................................. 18 3.3.1 Kiwi Flat .................................................................................................... 18 3.3.2 Abstraction Reach and down to Douglas Creek Confluence ................... 20 3.3.3 Density, Breeding, Mortality and Immigration/Dispersal........................ 24 3.3.4 Demographics of Kiwi Flat Blue Duck Population .................................... 31 3.3.5 Aquatic Habitat Use Preferences ............................................................. 33 3.3.6 Predators and Predator Control .............................................................. 33 3.3.7 Adjoining Populations and Relationships ................................................ 35 3.4 Summary Assessment of Blue Duck Population in Scheme Area ........................ 38 4 ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS OF WAITAHA HYDRO SCHEME ON BLUE DUCK ................. 47 4.1 Preliminaries ........................................................................................................ 47 4.2 Significance and Natural Heritage Values ............................................................ 47 4.2.1 Criteria for Assessing Significance and Natural Heritage Values ............. 48 4.2.2 Assessment of Significance and Natural Heritage Values ....................... 48 4.2.3 Summary of Significance and Natural Heritage Values ........................... 52 4.2.4 Department of Conservation Biodiversity Management Priority Sites ... 52 4.3 Potential Effects Avoided in Scheme Option Selection and Design .................... 52 4.4 Potential and Actual Effects on Blue Duck Population and Habitat .................... 54 4.4.1 Potential and Actual Effects at and near Morgan Gorge ......................... 54 4.4.2 Potential and Actual Effects in the Abstraction Reach ............................ 64 4.4.3 Potential and Actual Effects at and Downstream of Powerhouse/Tailrace 67 4.4.4 Multi-Site Potential Effects ...................................................................... 69 4.5 Recommended Mitigation and Monitoring ......................................................... 69 4.5.1 Recommended Mitigation ....................................................................... 69 4.5.2 Monitoring ............................................................................................... 71 5 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................... 72 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.............................................................................................. 74 Waitaha Hydro Scheme: Assessment of Environmental Effects on Whio/Blue Ducks Sustainability Solutions June 2014 ii 7 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 75 8 APPENDIX: REVIEW OF EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC DISTURBANCE AND NOISE ON WILDLIFE ....................................................................................................................... 86 FIGURES Figure 1: Location of main Waitaha hydro scheme components relevant to blue duck and their habitat Figure 2: Schematic representation of proposed weir and intake channel at Morgan Gorge Figure 3: Blue duck records from surveys and other observations in Waitaha River abstraction reach and down to Douglas Creek confluence (2005–2012) Figure 4: Recorded locations of male bird (GB/–) holding a territory at lower Kiwi Flat (2007– 2011). Figure 5: Locations of observations of ducklings and juveniles, Kiwi Flat (2006–2012) Figure 6: Recent TBfree New Zealand ground and aerial possum control operations in and near Scheme area Figure 7: Estimated noise disturbance limits for blue duck associated with blasting at the weir and helicopter landing and takeoff at the helicopter landing site in the contractors’ facilities area. TABLES Table 1: Principal Waitaha hydro scheme works, structures and activities, grouped in relation to river sections and time frames Table 2: Adult and juvenile blue duck population, mortality, immigration and emigration, observed during surveys at Kiwi Flat (2006–2012) Table 3: Coverage and results of blue duck surveys and observations of Waitaha River abstraction reach and down to Douglas Creek confluence (2005–2012) Table 4: Recorded observations of blue ducks entering and exiting Morgan Gorge at Kiwi Flat (2006–2007) Table 5: Blue duck duckling and juvenile observations at Kiwi Flat (2006–2012) Table 6: Observations of banded study blue ducks, and one duck paired with a banded duck, Kiwi Flat and Kakapotahi River (2006–2011) Table 7: Criteria for assessing ecological significance and natural heritage values in the West Coast Regional Policy Statement, Westland District Plan and West Coast Conservation Management Strategy. Waitaha Hydro Scheme: Assessment of Environmental Effects on Whio/Blue Ducks Sustainability Solutions June 2014 iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction 1. Westpower Limited proposes the development of a run-of-the-river hydroelectricity generation scheme (‘the Scheme’) on the Waitaha River, South Westland. The Scheme would divert a flow of up to 23 m3/s at a weir and water intake structure at the head of Morgan Gorge. The water would enter a tunnel and underground settling basins and be carried via a penstock to a tunnel portal exit and then powerhouse on the true right flats below Morgan Gorge. After passing through the turbines, water would be discharged to the river via a tailrace. A proposed residual flow of 3.5 m3/s, measured at the intake, would be retained in the abstraction reach. The abstraction reach is 2.6 km long, comprised of two sections: Morgan Gorge (1.0 km) and below Morgan Gorge (1.6 km). 2. This report assesses the environmental effects of the Scheme on whio/blue duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos). The blue duck is a New Zealand endemic species and genus and is a nationally vulnerable species, due to a significant decline in abundance and distribution. The species occurs on mainland rivers and cannot be secured on offshore islands. A blue duck population is present on the proposed affected reaches of the Waitaha River and on adjoining waterways. 3. Identification of the values of the Scheme area for blue duck and assessment of the Scheme’s potential effects are founded on baseline studies in the Scheme area in 2006–2008, four short surveys between 2009–2012, and application of advances in knowledge of blue ducks including threats and management for the species’ persistence and evolution. Waitaha Hydro Scheme in Relation to Blue Ducks 4. In relation to blue ducks and their environment, the different structures, works and activities of the Scheme will affect different parts of the river in different ways and over different time frames (principally construction period vs. operational period). 5. At Kiwi Flat, ponding in the river will occur c.220–270 m upstream following construction of the 4–5 m high weir; this will be infilled with gravel probably during the first flood (days to weeks). A sediment equilibrium deposit will build c.200–500 m upstream over a period of weeks to months. 6. At the Morgan Gorge headworks site, there will be construction works in the bed and riparian margins of the river for the weir and intake structures, contractors’ facilities on a river terrace, and an access road between the intake, contractors’ facilities and the tunnel portal
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