High water levels at the Waituna Lagoon are causing concern as they encroach on local roads and paddocks, hampering lambing and calving activities in the area.

Photo: Environment Southland

The Waituna Lagoon is part of the Awarua-Waituna wetland complex and recognised as a wetland of international significance. It is home to many species of native birds, plants, fish and insects, and is a culturally important site for Ngāi Tahu.

Environment Southland general manager integrated catchment management Lucy Hicks acknowledged that lagoon water levels, at 2.5m, were of concern for those in Waituna.

“We’re actively and continually assessing the options available to us to provide support and open the lagoon.”

Hicks said any opening of the lagoon would need to be through emergency powers under the Resource Management Act held by Environment Southland

This process would be required until the current consent process for the longer-term approach to opening the lagoon was approved.

“The act provides various emergency powers for use in certain circumstances. It sets a high bar and we need to be assured we are able to meet those requirements to be able to open the lagoon,” he said.

“Any opening would need to be carefully coordinated to occur when conditions would allow it to be done safely and effectively.”

In January, Waituna Lagoon was opened mechanically to prevent a toxic algal bloom causing ecological harm. The lagoon, which closes naturally by the sea, remained open for 59 days.

A joint resource consent application to open Waituna Lagoon to the sea has been lodged by Te Rūnanga o Awarua, the Department of Conservation, and Environment Southland and attracted 50 submissions, Hicks said.