Environment Waikato is seeking community feedback through its 2010/11 Draft Annual Plan on a new way of funding the monitoring of foreshore erosion around Lake Taupo.

Regional hazards manager Adam Munro said the new funding policy was part of the Lake Taupo Erosion and Flood Strategy recently adopted by Taupo District Council and Environment Waikato to manage the effects of lakeshore erosion and minimise the risks of flooding.

“Erosion and accretion are naturally occurring events but the changes we’ve made to the lake shore environment through development and structures like boat ramps also contribute to erosion and increased flood risk,” he said.

“While current monitoring can identify the causes of erosion, it needs to be more precise to identify exactly the contribution of each of the various natural and human-driven causes.”

To that end, the new monitoring programme will answer questions such as:
· To what extent does lake level affect erosion?
· How is sediment movement around the lake affected by structures, both on the foreshore and up into the river catchments?
· How do the shape of beaches around the lake change over time and what causes this?

The monitoring programme will also help to assess the effect of storm events around the lake and enable appropriate design of specific works in high risk areas.

Environment Waikato’s Draft Annual Plan details a proposed funding policy for the monitoring programme that apportions costs to each of the sectors of the community with an interest in Lake Taupo including regional and catchment ratepayers, Taupo district ratepayers, central government and hydro power generators.

A funding policy for foreshore capital works and maintenance is yet to be determined.

“We are seeking the community’s views on our proposed changes to the Lake Taupo foreshore erosion funding policy in respect to the monitoring programme and we encourage people to make a submission on Environment Waikato’s draft annual plan,” Mr Munro said.

For more information on the Lake Taupo foreshore erosion and flood strategy and EW’s draft annual plan go to www.ew.govt.nz

Submissions close on Friday 30th April.