Application for Resource Consent and Assessment of Environmental Effects Application of aquatic herbicide Endothall (Aquathol K and Aquathol Super K) within the Rotorua Lakes. Prepared for: Bay of Plenty Regional Council Status: Final 1 December 2017 Document Prepared by: Michelle Archer, Senior Environmental Consultant, Place Group Rebecca Hare, Environmental Planning Consultant, Place Group. Peer Reviewed by: Rohan Wells, Freshwater Ecologist, NIWA Paul Champion, Programme Leader and Principal Scientist – Freshwater Biosecurity, NIWA 12 December 2017 Application for Endothall in Rotorua Lakes File Reference BOP-15-013 File Reference: BOP-15-013 Contact: [email protected] 020 403 80237 Status: FINAL 2 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 4 2 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Applicant ..................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Strategic Drivers for Controlling Invasive Submerged Aquatic Macrophytes ................ 5 2.3 Resource Consents Required .................................................................................................. 8 3 Site Description................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 The Te Arawa Lakes (Rotorua Lakes) .................................................................................... 9 3.2 Cultural Setting ......................................................................................................................... 12 3.3 LakeSPI - Submerged Plant Indicators ................................................................................ 14 3.4 Water Quality ............................................................................................................................ 15 3.5 Ecology ...................................................................................................................................... 16 3.6 Target Aquatic Pest Macrophyte Species Extent in Rotorua Lakes .............................. 19 3.7 Existing Aquatic Herbicide Use in the Rotorua Lakes ....................................................... 20 4 Proposal Description and Rationale ................................................................................. 21 4.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2 Endothall Properties ................................................................................................................ 21 4.3 Opportunities for Endothall use in the Rotorua lakes ....................................................... 22 4.4 Proposed Use in the Rotorua lakes ...................................................................................... 22 4.5 Discharge Method ................................................................................................................... 23 4.6 Alternative Control Measures ................................................................................................ 23 5 Statutory Assessment ...................................................................................................... 24 5.1 Resource Management Act 1991 ......................................................................................... 24 5.2 National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management ................................................. 28 5.3 Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement ............................................................................ 30 5.4 Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan ................................................................ 31 5.5 Te Tῡāpapa o ngā wai o Te Arawa – Te Arawa Cultural Values Framework ............... 32 5.6 Iwi Management Plans – Okurei Constituency .................................................................. 32 5.7 Regional Air Plan - Bay of Plenty Regional Council ........................................................... 33 5.8 Regional Water and Land Plan – Bay of Plenty Regional Council .................................. 34 5.9 Tarawera River Catchment Plan ........................................................................................... 36 5.10 Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act ............................................................. 39 6 Consultation ..................................................................................................................... 40 6.1 Iwi Consultation ....................................................................................................................... 40 6.2 Fish and Game ......................................................................................................................... 42 Application for Endothall in Rotorua Lakes File Reference: BOP-15-013 Status: FINAL 3 6.3 Department of Conservation ................................................................................................. 42 6.4 Water Users and Interested Parties ..................................................................................... 43 6.5 Summary of Key Questions from Consultation ................................................................. 44 7 Assessment of Environmental Effects ............................................................................. 45 7.1 Adverse effects of Invasive Aquatic Macrophytes (aquatic weeds) .............................. 45 7.2 Benefits of the Proposal ......................................................................................................... 46 7.3 Environmental Effects of the Discharge .............................................................................. 49 7.4 Potential Adverse Effects Resulting from a Reduction of Aquatic Weeds ................... 58 7.5 Potentially Affected Parties ................................................................................................... 59 7.6 Conclusions on Adverse Effects ........................................................................................... 59 8 Proposed Conditions ........................................................................................................ 60 9 Assessment on Notification ............................................................................................. 64 9.1 Affected Parties ....................................................................................................................... 64 10 Concluding Statement ...................................................................................................... 65 11 References ........................................................................................................................ 67 12 Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix 1 – Environmental Risk Management Authority Decision. ......................................... 70 Appendix 2 – Letters of support from Te Arawa Lakes Trust ..................................................... 70 Appendix 3 – Letter of support from Fish and Game ................................................................... 70 Appendix 4 – Email of support from the Department of Conservation ..................................... 70 Appendix 5 – Letter of support from Lakes Water Quality Society ............................................ 70 Appendix 6 – Minutes reflecting support for the application from Rotorua Lakes Recreation Forum ..................................................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix 7 – Environmental Protection Authority – Decision of Reassessment of endothall ................................................................................................................................................................. 70 Appendix 8 – Aquathol K label........................................................................................................... 70 Appendix 9 – Cascade label (Untied States of America Permission for Endothall) ................ 70 Appendix 10 – List of consented water takes ................................................................................ 70 Application for Endothall in Rotorua Lakes File Reference: BOP-15-013 Status: FINAL 4 1 Executive Summary This Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) is lodged in support of an application by Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) to discharge endothall onto and into the Rotorua lakes and catchments as an additional control measure for the aquatic pest macrophytes hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) and lagarosiphon (Lagarosiphon major). It can also be used to control hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) should an incursion of this species occur in the region. BOPRC is seeking a discharge resource consent for the use of endothall (current trade names Aquathol K and Aquathol Super K) over the waterbodies within the catchments of the Rotorua lakes in the Bay of Plenty regional boundary. The application area is situated within the culturally significant Te Arawa rohe and is noted as an outstanding landscape in national policy and planning documents. Resource consent is required for the discharge of endothall