Action Plan Action Plan

ACTION PLAN ACTION PLAN In August 2010 the members of the Manawatu¯ River Leaders’ Forum signed an Accord to take action to improve the state of the Manawatu¯ River. The Accord set out a focus, vision, and goals for the River. Our goal is to improve the Manawatu¯ River, the mauri Kei te ora te wai, (lifeforce) of the Manawatu¯ River Catchment, such kei te ora te whenua, that it sustains fi sh species, and is suitable for contact kei te ora te tangata. recreation, in balance with the social, cultural and economic activities of the catchment community. If the water is healthy, the land and the people This goal represents a community opportunity to are nourished. develop leadership in catchment improvement and capture the social and economic benefi ts of such leadership. 1. The Manawatu¯ River becomes a source of regional pride and mana. 2. Waterways in the Manawatu¯ Catchment are safe, accessible, swimmable, and provide good recreation and food resources. 3. The Manawatu¯ Catchment and waterways are returned to a healthy condition. 4. Sustainable use of the land and water resources of the Manawatu¯ Catchment continues to underpin the economic prosperity of the Region. ACTION PLAN 2011 WHAT’S HAPPENING AND WHERE The Manawatu¯ Catchment is broken down into nine areas, we call sub-catchments. Refer to the action points detailed on the map below Kimb to see a summary of what we are planning to do. O¯ ROUA Cheltenha ACTION POINTS REDUCE THE NUTRIENT Feilding AND BACTERIA FROM POINT SOURCE DISCHARGES THROUGH: Bunnythorpe Rongotea • resolving outstanding resource consent applications MIDDLE MANAW • ensuring discharges meet regional water quality standards Palmerston North • meeting resource consent conditions, LOWER MANAWATU¯ compliance monitoring and enforcement • requiring resource consents for stormwater discharges Foxton TokomaruT REDUCE THE RUN-OFF OF UPPER GORG SEDIMENT, NUTRIENTS COASTAL MANAWATU¯ - HOROWHENUA AND BACTERIA FROM INTENSIVE LAND-USE Shannon SUCH AS DAIRYING AND CROPPING THROUGH: • meeting resource consent conditions, compliance monitoring and Levin enforcement • achieving the Dairying and Clean Eketahuna Stream Accord targets MANGATAINOKA • adoption of Nutrient Management Plans and promotion of nutrient use effi cency MILESTONES 1990 2000 2010 Manawatu¯ Catchment Water Quality Plan: Horizons launches Palmerston North All major water Manawatu¯ River 2012 Dairy Cle Removes dairy Set standards on Sustainable Land City Council takes in the Leaders Accord Streams Accor effl uent discharge phosphate levels Use Initiative to upgrades sewage Catchment meet Signed and action targets met from water for point source address erosion of treatment plant agreed standards plan agreed discharge hill-country land PROTECT AREAS OF HABITAT FOR NATIVE FISH, BIRDS AND TROUT BY: Apiti • fencing and planting streams and bush/wetland areas, and pest control • removing fi sh barriers • meeting resource consent conditions, olton POHANGINA compliance monitoring and enforcement MANAWATU¯ RIVER REDUCE SEDIMENT RUN- BEGINS HERE OFF FROM EROSION m PRONE FARMLAND, THE RURAL ROAD NETWORK, AND AREAS OF MAJOR EARTHWORKS THROUGH: Dannevirke • continuation of Horizons Regional Council’s Sustainable Land Use UPPER MANAWATU¯ Initiative • adoption of road maintenance and Ashhurst earthworks best practice management WATU¯ practices • meeting resource consent conditions, Woodville compliance monitoring and enforcement • adoption of best practice management for earthworks MangatainokaM REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FLOOD CONTROL AND Pahiatua DRAINAGE SCHEMES BY: GE • ensuring all works are undertaken in accordance with Codes of Practice • meeting resource consent conditions, compliance monitoring and enforcement • making greater use of plants on TI¯RAUMEA river banks PREVENT OVER-USE OF WATER BY: • ensuring consented takes meet regional standards • meeting resource consent conditions, compliance monitoring and enforcement • ensuring metering of all major water takes 2020+ ean All major consent Horizons Regional All high value Waterways in the Sustainable land and Waterways are The River rd applications Council One Plan bush and wetlands Catchment at water resources of the returned to a becomes a source resolved becomes operative protected safe, accessible Catchment continue to healthy condition of regional pride and provide for underpin the economic and mana recreation and food prosperity of the sources Region Background In August 2010 the members of the Manawatu- River Leaders’ Forum signed an Accord to take action to improve the state of the Manawatu- River. The Accord includes a focus, vision, and goals for the river. The leaders agreed to champion and give life to the Accord and made a series of commitments. One of the commitments was to establish a collaboratively owned Action Plan ready for implementation by 1 July 2011. This is that plan. It was developed by a group of participants representing the different forum sectors1, with the assistance of the Massey University-led Integrated Freshwater Solutions research project (www.ifs.org.nz). 1 Iwi/hapu-, environmental, pastoral & production, district & city councils, and Horizons Regional Council 2 Contents 4 UNDERSTANDING THE MAURI OF THE RIVER: THE RIVER AS A ‘PROVIDER’ AND LIFE FORM IN ITSELF 5 COLLABORATION 6 THE CHALLENGES WATER QUALITY PHYSICAL CHANGES WATER QUANTITY 8 KEY ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES - 10 SUB-CATCHMENTS OF THE MANAWATU RIVER 23 ALLOCATION OF KEY ACTIONS TO SUB-CATCHMENTS 24 OTHER ACTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE GOALS (THAT ARE NOT ALREADY COVERED) 25 OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS: MEASUREMENT TOOLS TO ASSESS ACCORD GOALS 26 APPENDIX A: TASKS TO SUPPORT THE KEY ACTIONS AND ACCORD GOALS 42 APPENDIX B: IDENTIFIED SOLUTIONS 3 Understanding the Mauri of the river: The River as a ‘provider’ and life form in itself As we allow the river’s mauri to fl ourish, the river’s ability to provide will increase. Cultural and spiritual health and wellbeing of the river and its communities Rongoa- Ma-ori traditional healing plants and resources in and by the river. Introduced food species in the river Drinking water for people and stock Swimming/other recreation/tourism Food outside the river, agriculture Flood protection Gravel/sand extraction Electricity generation As the river’s mauri shrinks, its ability to provide will shrink too. 4 E kore a Parawhenua e haere ki te kore a Rakahore Water wouldn’t move if it wasn’t for rock - Partnership in ventures is essential for success COLLABORATION The Leaders’ Forum’s commitment to STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN THE collaboratively fi nd solutions for the PROCESS COMPRISED: - Manawatu Catchment is like a journey of • Iwi/hapu-, discovery, at times a rocky road. All parties • Environmental Interests, are committed to collaborate and gain a • Farming and Industry, better understanding of how to integrate • Local Government, and and balance cultural, social, environmental • Regional Council. and economic values. Three Iwi - Rangita-ne O Manawatu-, Raukawa ki Mauri as the life force for all beings and things was te Tonga (with Nga-ti Kauwhata) and Muau-poko brought closer to the group by iwi representatives were involved from the very beginning, with Te comparing the waters in the catchment to blood Ka-uru (Manawatu- River Eastern Hapu- Collective) flowing in the human body. Only if the life force joining the process later. All four Iwi/hapu- signed is strong and healthy, can the river, like a healthy the Leaders’ Accord individually. The group has body, fulfil its role as a provider. worked together and developed actions jointly and The various stakeholders around the table have individually as appropriate. taken their first steps in developing mutual respect Whereas it was acknowledged that the Treaty and understanding for each other and their settlement process runs in parallel and might respective worldviews. As the journey continues, predicate some action in the future, action so will the learning and enhancement of this planning for the Leaders’ Forum was treated as a understanding. An important reminder for all of us separate process. Any statements made in regards is to strike the right balance between giving to, and to cultural values and historical connections to taking from the river so that the river’s mauri or life specific areas have been made by individual Iwi/ force can be strong and healthy again. hapu- as they saw appropriate and have been included in the document as presented. 5 He huahua te kai pai, he wai te kai pai Humans cannot survive without fresh water THE CHALLENGES The current state of the Manawatu- River WATER QUALITY is far from its natural condition. Over Sediment the decades the River and its catchment have been extensively modifi ed as a Sediment is a natural component of any waterway result of land clearance and development, system. Sediment is the natural by-product of discharges, and fl ood and drainage control mountain and hill erosion, and the shifting of waterways and the consequent erosion of stream works. Unfortunately, an unintended banks. However, the Manawatu- River suffers from an consequence of this development has abnormally high level of fine sediment (sand, silt and been a general degradation of the mud) input. Excess sediment causes a range of social, River’s water quality and native fl ora and environmental and economic problems, as it: fauna. Some of these changes have been • discolours the water making it unattractive for incremental (e.g. slow decline of whitebait swimming and other water-based activities, fi shery); whereas others have been almost

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