Waikato region shallow lakes management plan

221 Pages·2016·2.98 MB·English

Waikato Regional Council Technical Report 2014/59

Waikato region shallow lakes
management plan: Volume 2

Shallow lakes resource statement:
Current status and future
management recommendations

www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
ISSN 2230-4355 (Print)
ISSN 2230-4363 (Online)
Prepared by Tracie Dean-Speirs & Keri Neilson (Waikato Regional Council) with input
from Paula Reeves (Wildland Consultants) and Johlene Kelly (Alchemists Ltd.)

For Waikato Regional Council
Private Bag 3038
Waikato Mail Centre
HAMILTON 3240

10 October 2014

Document #: 2256414
Approved for release by Clare Crickett Date May 2015

Disclaimer
This technical report has been prepared for the use of Waikato Regional Council as a reference
document and as such does not constitute Council’s policy.

Council requests that if excerpts or inferences are drawn from this document for further use by
individuals or organisations, due care should be taken to ensure that the appropriate context has
been preserved, and is accurately reflected and referenced in any subsequent spoken or written
communication.

While Waikato Regional Council has exercised all reasonable skill and care in controlling the
contents of this report, Council accepts no liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for any loss,
damage, injury or expense (whether direct, indirect or consequential) arising out of the provision
of this information or its use by you or any other party.

Doc # 2256414 Page iii
Acknowledgement
The author wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Paula Reeves (Wildland
Consultants Ltd, and later Waipa District Council), and Johlene Kelly (Department of
Conservation and later Alchemists Ltd.) to Parts I and II of the Shallow Lake
Management Plan.

Members of the Waikato District Lakes and Freshwater Wetlands Memorandum of
Agreement Group and of the Waipa Peat Lakes Accord (John Gumbley, Paula Reeves,
David Klee, Tim Manukau, Jenny Charman, Giles Boundy and Ben Wolf) are also
thanked for their valuable feedback on earlier versions.

Several Waikato Regional Council staff (Bruno David, Mike Lake, Keri Neilson, Bruce
McAuliffe, Matthew Vare, Vicki Carruthers, Bevan Jenkins, and Dominique Noiton) have
also provided feedback on aspects of the Shallow Lakes Management Plan and are
thanked for their contributions.

Page iv Doc # 2256414
Contents

Acknowledgement iv
Abstract ix
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Shallow lake information 2
2 Condition of shallow lakes 4
2.1 Lake water quality 4
2.1.1 Current condition 5
2.1.2 Water quality trends 6
2.2 Shallow lake health indicators 7
2.2.1 Zooplankton 9
2.2.2 Submerged aquatic plant indicators (Lake SPI) 9
2.2.3 Current condition 10
2.3 Restoration & management 12
2.3.1 Lake level setting 12
2.3.2 Riparian retirement and fencing 14
2.3.3 Enhancement of marginal habitat 16
2.3.4 Pest fish control 17
2.3.5 Reduction of nutrient and sediment inputs 19
2.3.6 Access to lakes 20
3 Waikato peat lakes 22
3.1 Hamilton city 25
3.1.1 Lake Rotokaeo (Forest Lake) 25
3.1.2 Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake) 26
3.1.3 Lake Waiwhakareke (Horseshoe Lake) 29
3.2 Hauraki district 32
3.2.1 Kopuatai Burn Pools 32
3.3 Matamata- Piako district 33
3.3.1 Leesons Pond 33
3.4 South Waikato district 34
3.4.1 Lake Okoroire 34
3.5 Waikato district 36
3.5.1 Lake Areare 36
3.5.2 Lake Hotoananga 39
3.5.3 Lake Kainui (Lake D) 41
3.5.4 Lake Kaituna (Lake B) 43
3.5.5 Lake Komakorau (Lake C) 45
3.5.6 Lake Pikopiko 47
3.5.7 Lake Rotokaraka 49
Doc # 2256414 Page v
3.5.8 Lake Rotokauri 50
3.5.9 Lake Rotokawau (Black Lake) 53
3.5.10 Lake Te Kapa 56
3.5.11 Lake Tunawhakaheke (Lake E/ Tunawhakapeka/ Hurrell’s Lake) 57
3.5.12 Lake Waiwhata 60
3.5.13 Lake Whakatangi (Lake A) 61
3.6 Waipa district 63
3.6.1 Lake Cameron (Lake Kareaotahi) 63
3.6.2 Henderson’s Pond 65
3.6.3 Lake Koromatua 67
3.6.4 Lake Mangahia 69
3.6.5 Lake Mangakaware 72
3.6.6 Lake Maratoto 75
3.6.7 Lake Milicich 78
3.6.8 Lake Ngaroto 81
3.6.9 Lake Ngarotoiti 86
3.6.10 Lake Pataka 88
3.6.11 Lake Posa (Lake Pataka South) 90
3.6.12 Lake Rotomanuka (north and south) 92
3.6.13 Lake Rotongata 95
3.6.14 Rotopiko/Serpentine Lakes 97
3.6.15 Lake Rotopotaka 104
3.6.16 Lake Ruatuna 106
3.7 Waitomo district 109
3.7.1 Lake Rotokotuku (Kotukutuku) 109
4 Waikato riverine lakes 112
4.1 Hauraki district 115
4.1.1 Lake Patetonga 115
4.2 Waikato district 116
4.2.1 Lake Hakanoa 116
4.2.2 Lake Kimihia 119
4.2.3 Lake Kopuera (Rangiriri) 122
4.2.4 Lake Ohinewai 124
4.2.5 Lake Okowhao 127
4.2.6 Lake Penewaka (Penewaka Lagoon) 130
4.2.7 Lake Rotongaro 131
4.2.8 Lake Rotongaroiti 134
4.2.9 Te Otamanui Lagoon 136
4.2.10 Lake Waahi 139
Page vi Doc # 2256414
4.2.11 Lake Waikare 143
4.2.12 Lake Whangape 150
4.2.13 Lake Opuatia (Unnamed 9) 155
4.3 Waipa district 157
4.3.1 Lake Te Koutu (also Te Ko Utu) 157
5 Waikato dune lakes 160
5.1 Otorohanga district 162
5.1.1 Lake Parangi 162
5.1.2 Lake Te Rotopupu 164
5.2 Waikato district 165
5.2.1 Lake Otamatearoa 165
5.2.2 Lake Parkinson (Kohahuake) 167
5.2.3 Lake Puketi 169
5.2.4 Lake Rotoiti (Little Lake) 171
Waikato Regional Council holds no water quality information for Lake
Rotoiti 171
5.2.5 Lake Un-named 3 172
5.2.6 Lake Waitamoumou 173
5.3 Waitomo district 174
5.3.1 Lake Harihari 174
5.3.2 Lake Piopio 177
5.3.3 Lake Rototapu 179
5.3.4 The Taharoa lakes – Taharoa, Numiti and Rotoroa 180
6 Waikato Karst lakes 186
6.1 Waikato District 187
6.1.1 Lake Disappear 187
6.2 Otorohanga district 188
6.2.1 Lake Koraha 188
7 Waikato volcanic lakes 190
7.1 Rotorua district 190
7.1.1 Lake Ngāhewa 191
7.1.2 Lake Tutaeinanga 193
7.2 Taupo district 195
7.2.1 Lake Rotopounamu 195
8 References 198

Doc # 2256414 Page vii
Figures

Figure 1 Location of lake groups within the Waikato region 1
Figure 2 The number of shallow and deep lakes within districts in the Waikato region 2
Figure 3 Estimated native vegetation cover in the catchments of shallow lakes (by
type) in the Waikato region 17
Figure 4 Peat lakes in the Waikato region 22
Figure 5 Peat lake scores (including best estimates) for different aspects of the lake
prioritisation method used to rank lakes in the Waikato region 24
Figure 6 Location of riverine lakes associated with the Waikato River 112
Figure 7 Riverine lake scores for different aspects of the lake prioritisation method
used to score and rank the biodiversity values of lakes in the Waikato region 114
Figure 8 Dune lake scores (including best estimates) for different aspects of the lake
prioritisation method used to rank lakes in the Waikato region 161
Figure 9 Volcanic and karst lake scores for different aspects of the lake prioritisation
method used to rank lakes in the Waikato region for their biodiversity values 186

Page viii Doc # 2256414
Abstract
This document is the second part of Waikato Regional Council’s Shallow Lake
Management Plan. It has been developed as a resource statement (to accompany
Volume I) that summarises available information and knowledge about the condition of
shallow lakes in the Waikato region and identifies specific management
recommendations for individual lakes.

Volume I of the Shallow Lakes Management Plan summaries the statutory and policy
framework for shallow lake management, and identifies the key management issues for
shallow lakes in the Waikato region, with a specific focus on matters that WRC has
responsibility for. Nine objectives and a suite of associated management strategies have
been identified in Volume I to guide implementation over the next 10 years.
Doc # 2256414 Page ix