Statement of Evidence of Fergus Bramley in support of a Water Conservation Order for the Ngaruroro River.
In support of application by Whitewater NZ.
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Introduction
1 My name is Fergus Bramley, I am 20 years old.
2 I grew up in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay.
3 I am currently living in Wellington studying the final year of my BSc in Physics and Mathematics at Victoria University.
4 I am an experienced recreational whitewater kayaker. I have completed over 200 river runs in New Zealand on 60 different rivers.
5 I am an experienced whitewater slalom kayaker. I was a member of the Canoe Slalom New Zealand Performance Squad for two years and a member of the Canoe Slalom New Zealand under 18 Development Squad for two years. In these roles I have represented New Zealand in canoe slalom in Australia four times.
6 I have a general background in outdoor recreation including tramping, rock-climbing, canyoning and caving. I have spent over 200 days tramping, rock-climbed up to a grade of 21, completed over 10 canyon first descents up to grade v4a3IV*** and discovered new caves of up to 200 metres depth on Mount Arthur in Nelson.
Scope of Evidence
7 My evidence will address: a. Layout of the ‘Oxbow’1 river section at Kuripapango. b. My experience learning to kayak on the Ngaruroro River. c. My experience returning to the Ngaruroro River as an experienced kayaker to paddle the lower gorge.
Layout of the ‘Oxbow’ river section at Kuripapango
8 The ‘Oxbow’ section is the stretch of the Ngaruroro River between the carpark at which the tracks to Cameron and Kiwi Saddle Huts begin and the Napier-Taihape road bridge.
9 This is a stretch of around two kilometres of grade II whitewater.
10 The river in this section winds around the back of a hill. Consequently, the distance by road between the endpoints of the river trip is significantly shorter (around 1 km) than the distance by river.
1 A colloquial name for the stretch of river between the carpark at which the tracks to Cameron and Kiwi Saddle Huts begin and the Napier-Taihape road bridge.
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The Kuripapango area. Red arrowheads indicate the river entry and exit points for the ‘Oxbow’ section. Note that the distance by river between the arrowheads is approximately double the distance by road.
My experience learning to kayak on the Ngaruroro River
11 Between the years of 2003 and 2008 my family camped every summer at the DOC campsite at Kuripapango. During this period, I was aged between 6 and 11.
One of the first times I paddled on whitewater. Kuripapango in 2003.
12 Over the period between 2008 and 2012 I completed more than 20 day-trips to Kuripapango to paddle the ‘Oxbow’ section. These trips were undertaken between flows of 6 푚3푠−1 and 45 푚3푠−1 at the Kuripapango Gauge.
13 During this time my kayaking skill progressed from a stage where I had only previously kayaked on flat or gently moving water to being confident in grade II+/III whitewater.
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14 I also developed many wider life skills during these experiences such as risk management and teamwork.
15 It is my view that the ‘Oxbow’ section is particularly suited to learning to kayak. The length of the run is sufficiently short that tiredness and the cold are less of a concern. The whitewater presents relatively few hazards. The rocky nature of the rapids is such that there are many opportunities to practice manoeuvring. The short distance by road between the endpoints of the river trip means that the shuttle back to the car can be walked. As a result, there are less logistics to running the section. The water is very clean and this is important as learning to kayak involves significant time in and under the water. This section of river is easily accessible from Napier and Hastings by the Napier-Taihape road but retains a wilderness feel being on the edge of the Kaweka Forest Park.
16 The characteristics of the ‘Oxbow’ section listed above are rare in New Zealand. I can think of no other sections of river with all these qualities that I have visited.
My experience returning to the Ngaruroro River as an experienced kayaker to paddle the lower gorge
17 Over Labour weekend 2013 I paddled the lower gorge of the Ngaruroro River between Kuripapango and Whanawhana for the first time. This trip was undertaken with members of the Victoria University Canoe Club and Hutt Valley Canoe Clubs over two days. The river flow during this trip was 15 푚3푠−1 at the Kuripapango Gauge.
Midway down the lower Ngaruroro Gorge on Labour Weekend 2013.
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18 This trip was a major milestone in my kayaking development. During the time I had spent on the ‘Oxbow’ section I had often wondered what the whitewater downstream was like and whether I would have the skills to run this section at some stage. Accordinglly, it was a great personal achievement to run this section of river competently. At this time I was 16 years old.
One of the most difficult rapids in the lower Ngaruroro Gorge on Labour Weekend 2013.
19 Overnight wilderness kayaking trips are a rarity in the North Island. Only the Motu River on East Cape is comparable to the Ngaruroro in length of river, wilderness experience and quality of whitewater.
20 It is my opinion that the whitewater in the lower gorge is of high quality compared to whitewater on other rivers in New Zealand that I have paddled. The rapids stand out as examples of technical kayaking of moderate grade with no necessary portages or bank scouting2.
Conclusion
21 Overall the Ngaruroro has been a notable part of my personal development. The features of the ‘Oxbow’ river section I have described make it a location particularly suited to learning whitewater kayaking. This type of learning environment is unique in my experience. The lower gorge has moderate grade technical wilderness kayaking which is of high quality on a national level. This broad variety of experiences is combined with the further wilderness kayaking values of the river above Kuripapango.
Appendices
Appendix One: River Runs, Fergus Bramley.
River Section Runs Kaituna River Okere Falls 2 Mohaka River SH2 to Glenfalls Campsite 12 Mohaka River Glenfalls Campsite to Everetts Campsite 8 Mohaka River Everetts Campsite to Te Hoe 6 Mohaka River Te Hoe to Willow Flat 4 Whakapapanui River Tawhai Falls 2 Waihohonu River SH1 to Intake Structure 1
2 Bank scouting is getting out of your kayak to determine what line to take on a rapid. It can disrupt the flow of a trip.
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Ohinepango River Lower Waterfalls 8 Tongariro River Rangipo Dam to Tree Trunk Gorge 2 Tongariro River Tree Trunk Gorge to Waikato Falls 2 Tongariro River Waikato Falls 6 Tongariro River Poutu Intake to Blue Pool 4 Tongariro River Blue Pool to SH1 1 Poutu River Poutu Falls 5 Rangitikei River Napier-Taihape Road to River Valley Lodge 4 Moawhango River Moawhango Falls 2 Ngaruroro River Oxbow Section 20 Ngaruroro River Kuripapango to Whanawhana 1 Tukituki River Horseshoe Bend 8 Makuri River Makuri Gorge 3 Mangahao River Reservoir 2 to Pukehoi Road 1 Kahuterawa Stream Scotts Road to Kahuterawa Road 1 Waikawa Stream Forks to Waikawa Shelter 4 Atiwhakatu Stream River Ridge to Holdsworth Lodge 2 Waiohine River Makaka Creek to Waiohine Campsite 1 Waiohine River Lower Gorge 3 Tauherenikau River Smith Creek to Bucks Road 1 Otaki River Lower Gorge 5 Hutt River Hutt Gorge 20 Hutt River Te Marua to Akatarawa 2 Hutt River Akatarawa to Maoribank 20 Hutt River Maoribank to Sea 1 Akatarawa River Karapoti Road to Hutt 5 West Akatarawa River McGhies Bridge to Akatarawa 4 Whakatikei River Bulls Run Road to Hutt 3 Korokoro Stream Mill Dam to Cornish Street 4 Kaiwharawhara Stream Gorge to Ngaio Gorge Road 2 Ohariu Stream Makara Gorge 1
Baton River Lower Gorge 1 Motueka River Woodstock to Ngatimoti 3 Wairoa River Confluence to Andrews Road 1 Wakamarina River Butchers Flat to Mountain Camp Creek 1 Pelorus River Tinline to Pelorus Bridge 1 Rai River Rai Falls to Pelorus 2 Waihopai River Power House to Summerlands Road 1 Clarence River Glen Alton Bridge to SH1 1 Buller River Lake Rotoiti to SH63 5 Buller River SH63 to Higgins Road 1 Buller River Gowanbridge to Owen Junction 3 Buller River Owen River to Claybank Creek 1 Buller River Doctors Creek to Mangles River 4 Buller River O'Sullivans to Ariki 5
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Buller River Earthquake Run 3 Mangles River Blackwater to Buller 1 Matakitaki River Middle Run 2 Matakitaki River Earthquake Run 4 Maruia River Maruia Falls 2 Hurunui River Jolliebrook to Maori Gully 1 Ashley River Ashley Gorge 1
Appendix Two: Slalom Races Fergus Bramley
Event Year Venue NZ Secondary School Championships 2011 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ Secondary School Championships 2012 Maruia River, Murchison NZ Pre-Nationals 2012 Buller River, Murchison NZ National Championships 2012 Buller River, Murchison NZ Secondary School Championships 2013 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ Pre-Nationals 2013 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ National Championships 2013 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ Slalom Open 2014 Mangahao Whitewater Centre, Shannon Australian Slalom Open 2014 Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Sydney NZ Secondary School Championships 2014 Monowai River, Tuatapere NZ National Championships 2014 Hawea Whitewater Park, Wanaka Hutt Slalom Series Race 1 2014 Hutt River, Upper Hutt Hutt Slalom Series Race 2 2014 Hutt River, Upper Hutt NZ Selection Race 1 2015 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ Selection Race 2 2015 Tarawera River, Kawerau Oceania Slalom Championships 2015 Mangahao Whitewater Centre, Shannon Australian Secondary School Championships 2015 Eildon River, Eildon Australian National Championships 2015 Eildon River, Eildon Australian Slalom Open 2015 Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Sydney NZ National Championships 2015 Mangahao Whitewater Centre, Shannon Hutt Slalom Series Race 1 2015 Hutt River, Upper Hutt Hutt Slalom Series Race 2 2015 Hutt River, Upper Hutt NZ Selection Race 1 2016 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ Selection Race 2 2016 Tarawera River, Kawerau NZ Selection Race 3 2016 Mangahao Whitewater Centre, Shannon NZ Selection Race 4 2016 Mangahao Whitewater Centre, Shannon Australian Slalom Open 2016 Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Sydney NZ National Championships 2016 Tekapo Whitewater Course, Tekapo NZ National Championships 2017 Tarawera River, Kawerau
Fergus Bramley 18/11/17
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