Environment Bay of Plenty is begining consultation with the Te Arawa Lakes Trust over the future of the Okere Gates and the Ohau Channel Weir.
Resource consents for the flood control structures expire in June 2010.

Trout fishing in the Ohau channel

The Ohau weir was constructed in 1989 and controls levels in Lake Rotorua within a range of approximately 600mm.
The Okere Gates, constructed in 1982, have controlled Lake Rotoiti Levels within a range of 150mm since 1996.
Before the gates were built the outflow from Lake Rotorua was controlled by a natural rock ledge weir about 35m downstream from where the gates were built.
The Okere Gates are part of the Upper Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme. Before the scheme, there was no lake level control on either Lake Rotoiti or Lake Rotorua, with the result that lakes levels fluctuated.
The beds of both lakes are owned by the Te Arawa Lakes Trust, after the Treaty Settlement Act of 2006.
Environment Bay of Plenty Group Manager Rivers and Drainage Ken Tarboton says the regional council is working with the Te Arawa Lakes Trust to find a proposed operating strategy for both lakes
'Technical investigations are being carried out to determine the impacts of alternative proposed operating regimes for the structures,” says Ken.
'These investigations include meeting with a number of interested groups and the wider community about the consents.”
People are welcome to contact Environment Bay of Plenty to find out about the consents, or attend the open day where they can speak with project staff.
The open day is on Wednesday 28 October 2009 in the Opus Room at the Energy Events Centre, Government Gardens, Rotorua, between 2pm and 7pm.
'We are also holding hui and meetings with key stakeholders during October,” says Ken.
Environment Bay of Plenty plans to lodge the resource consent applications by the end of 2009.
The applications will be publicly notified in early to mid 2010, giving the public and stakeholders the opportunity to make formal submissions.
Environment Bay of Plenty also has information on its website that will be updated during the project. www.envbop.govt.nz.