Nukuhou water quality improving

A water quality report shows years of work for landowners in the Nukuhou catchment are paying off.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council land management officer Ben Banks says the latest results for the Nukuhou Stream show the efforts of farmers are slowly, but surely paying off.

“This latest report shows a steady decline in some of the nasties in the water, such as faecal coliforms and E.Coli, and that’s due to keeping stock out of waterways.

“We’ve still got a long way to go.

“Reducing sediment and nutrient flow in the streams and tributaries of the Nukuhou catchment is a long-term project due to the soil types, topography and geology of the area.”

A number of works have been carried out to reduce faecal contamination in the stream since January 2006.

These works included building a crossing and five new bridges which is said to have significantly reduced the number of stock crossings through the river.

Of the 146km of the river and tributary stream banks, a total of nearly 120km is now protected from stock.

Over the last 12 months, 7.5km was fenced to exclude stock and 129 water troughs were installed.

This work has been carried by landowners with the guidance and assistance of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to reduce nutrients into the waterways.

Ben says the council helps farmers and landowners across the region with free advice and services such as land use capability assessments, soil information and riparian management plans.

“We want to work with other farmers to help them identify the land uses, which are best for their properties, to help them fence and replant stream banks, and retire steeper land from grazing.”