The Bay of Plenty Regional Council is one step closer to creating a healthier Maketu Estuary following an Environment Court hearing held this month.

After rigorous community consultation and feasibility assessments a preferred option for re-diverting twenty per cent of the Kaituna River's freshwater flows back into the Maketu estuary has now been identified.

An overview of the planned work to re-divert Kaituna River and enhance Ongatoro/ Maketū Estuary. To view a larger image of the planned works click here. Image: BOPRC

Kaituna catchments manager Pim de Monchy says they considered 18 different methods and options before making a final decision.

'All the options were considered and assessed by a range of engineering, hydrology, ecology, and planning experts, alongside feedback from iwi and the community,” he says.

'The option we've chosen offers the greatest chance of success in achieving the goal…and maximising the ecological and cultural benefits, particularly wetlands and kaimoana, while keeping Te Tumu cut open for boating access and flood management.”

The goal of the Kaituna River Re-diversion and Ongatoro/Maketu Estuary Enhancement Project is to significantly increase the flow of freshwater back into estuary by 2018.

The re-diversion will significantly change the existing landscape, particularly to low-lying land north of Ford's Cut, and will re-create some 20 hectares of wetland habitat which will partially restore the landscape to what it looked like before 1956.

Pim says the required resource consents and land designations have been approved and the regional council expects to receive the Environment Court decision on cultural impact provisions next month.

'In the meantime we're finalising detailed designs and we're on track to start phase one construction works this summer,” says Pim.

For more information and updates on the Kaituna River Re-diversion and Ongatoro Maketu Estuary Enhancement Project visit: www.boprc.govt.nz/kaitunamaketurediversion