Kaihū River Working Group

17 April 2023

Kaihū River Working Group Record of Actions

Meeting held in the Northern Wairoa Boating Club,

Dargaville

on Monday 17 April 2023, commencing at 10.30 am - 12.00pm

Tuhinga/Present:

Councillor John Blackwell

Ratepayer Representative Bryce Wyatt

KDC Councillor Ash Nayyar

I Tae Mai/In Attendance:

Full Meeting

NRC General Manager Community Resilience, Louisa Gritt

NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

NRC Biosecurity Specialist, Nancy Chavers

NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Officer, Nicole Basher

NRC Secretariat, Erica Wade

Ray Bryant

Colin Macdonald

Steve Simpkin

John Murray

Secretarial Note:  A moment of silence was observed in the memory and honour of deceased Des Subritzky

The meeting commenced at 10.31am.

Ngā Mahi Whakapai/Housekeeping (Item 1.0)

Ngā Whakapahā/Apologies (Item 2.0)

Moved: Blackwell / Nayyar

That the apologies from NRC Councillor Joe Carr for non-attendance be received.

Carried

Record of Actions – 12 July 2022 (Item 3.1)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

Agreed action points:

Moved: Wyatt / Camuso

That the minutes of the Kaihū River Working Group meeting held on 12 July 2022, be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Carried

Receipt of Action Sheet (Item 3.2)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

Moved: Nayyar / MacDonald

That the action sheet be received

Carried

Rain Event Cyclone (Item 3.3)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

· NRC website is currently been looked at so data shows at ‘real time’

· Northlanders can now be warned of impending flood, tsunami or other civil defence emergencies via text message. More information is available on the Regional Council website at the following link: /www.nrc.govt.nz/civildefence/how-to-get-ready/text-message-alerts

Agreed action points:

· NRC to email Cr. Nayyar whose responsibility is it to look after the drainage and culverts in the Kaihū catchment area.

· NRC to email Cr. Nayyar the hydrology information regarding how information is shared when a flood is predetermined.

· PowerPoint presentation to be distributed to the working group.

· NRC to follow up if the data recorder that was situated at the bridge near Colin MacDonalds place is to be reinstated.  Post Meeting Note:  This gauge was installed for flood model calibration.  It could not be used as a flow gauging station because of the significant overflow and inaccessible during flooding.

Kaihū River Budget Report (Item 3.4)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

Agreed action points:

· Copy of the budget to be distributed to the working group

Trees in Rivers Programme (Item 3.5)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

· NRC lobbied with Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) and Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) for funding to remove trees from rivers.  This was unsuccessful however we will keep trying.

· NRC council has allocated $500,000 of funding for removing trees from rivers, to help Te Taitokerau recover from the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.  This money will be direct to contractors not to farmers.  There is currently a priority list, please refer to the NRC website to apply.  https://www.nrc.govt.nz/your-council/work-with-us/funding-and-awards/for-landowners/cyclone-recovery-funding-for-trees-in-rivers

Agreed action points:

· No actions

Works Update 2022-2023 (Item 3.6)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso; NRC Biosecurity Specialist, Nancy Chavers

· Rice grass spraying delayed as NRC was unable to meet the extensive EPA rules.  We are currently restricted to spraying 490 litres – 980 litres per hectare.  Other options are been investigated with the aim of being more effective.

Agreed action points:

· Working group to decide if the use of helicopter is a better option for spraying the Rice Grass.

· Nancy will send the working group further information so an informative decision can be made.

· Nancy to liaise with Colin MacDonald regarding areas of the Rice Grass that have been missed when spraying.

· The group would like more monitoring of contractors done to ensure consistency and efficiency.  NRC to feedback to the working group when monitoring is being done.

Boat Inspection and Proposed Work Programme 2023-2024 (Item 3.7)

Presented by: NRC Rivers and Natural Hazards Manager, Joseph Camuso

· Discussion around the use of a Drone at low tide, rather than a boat ride.  This will not only be cost effective but more information will be able to be recorded as the boat ride can only collect data from high tide.

Agreed action points:

· NRC to investigate the use of a Drone and feedback to the working group if feasible and dates this may occur.

Any Other Business (Item 3.8)

Presented by: NRC Councillor John Blackwell

Agreed action points:

· NRC to inform the working group when actions from the action tracker are completed and with regular updates.

· Floodgate on Colin and Ray’s properties still not completed after raising this issue two years ago even with funding available.  NRC to follow up with contractor.

· NRC and KDC to communicate more effectively when diggers are available in the area so works can be completed.  NRC to follow up with Wayne Crump at KDC.

· NRC to investigate dropping the bank by Garry’s bridge.

· NRC to look at using meeting rooms in the new NRC building in Dargaville rather than hiring a venue.  Unfortunately the NRC meeting room is too small to cater for the working group however, KDC may have a space available.  NRC to follow up prior to next meeting.

· Clarification of if this working group is public or not, consensus is it should only be for Kaihū rate payers, not open to all public.  NRC to follow this up inform the group.

· Working Group extremely upset with the lack of communication from KDC regarding the cycle path.  Bryce to email Cr. Blackwell the groups concerns, including the petition sent to council regarding the cycle way.

· Cr. Blackwell to write to KDC regarding all the issues with cycleway on behalf of the Kaihū working group.

· NRC to gather a timeframe for digger works to start and inform the working group.  The digger has been sitting in field for approx. 3 weeks now.

Whakamutunga (Conclusion)

The meeting concluded at 12.18pm.