Hawke’s Bay Regional Council says stock are used intermittently in most areas of the lime-sand pathways around the Heretaunga Plains, but are essential to maintain the stopbanks that these pathways run along in these rural areas.
Cattle and cow pats on the lime-sand pathway between Pakowhai Country Park and Awatoto (down the Ngaruroro stopbank) have been concerning some pathway users recently following the Council’s removal of trial electric fencing. This now allows stock to roam more freely, resulting in less damage to the stopbanks.
“We found that it was not possible to maintain the stopbank to an appropriate standard with the fencing along the top and the stopbank had deteriorated because of animal damage. We appreciate this change may not suit some people, but Council’s first priority to ratepayers is to provide flood control for their homes and property,” said Graeme Hansen, Group Manager Operations.
The pathway between Pakowhai and Awatoto was the only section where Council trialled a fence along the full length of the stopbank. This has not been ideal for flood protection, but this was one of the first sections of pathway built and back then there was a concern about co-existence of pathway users and cattle. Pathways established since have shown that these concerns were unfounded and that there are few risks or problems.
The pathways are carefully constructed to take into account both the management of the flood protection assets and their use by the public, but a level of compromise has always been necessary, including stock access in some places.
The Regional Council uses stock intermittently to keep a short, even sward of grass on stopbanks to provide a better protection to the stopbank when flood water is moving at high speed against it. This method of maintaining appropriate grass coverage on stopbanks throughout Hawke’s Bay is proposed for the foreseeable future.
“The pathways along the stopbanks in rural areas are carefully designed to minimise impact on the stopbank and other flood control works they run along,” said Mr Hansen.
“We have not constructed them of a more permanent surface, such as concrete, so that future options of raising the stopbanks can still be considered, if necessary, for possible climate change impacts and sea level rise. People using these rural stretches of pathway will find at times the paths are wet, muddy, covered in twigs or have cow pats.”
There are warning signs on gates and fences where stock may be present.
The Council continues to fund maintenance of these pathways at a cost of $70,000 a year. This includes surface maintenance, litter removal, weed spraying, flood damage repair and new lime-sand. Where there are reports of damage to sections of the Pathway following storms and deliberate damage, the Council will respond.
Council is also undertaking a user survey over the next few months as part of the Hawke’s Bay bid for the National cycleway project. Concerns or ideas raised by the public through this process will be considered, where they can be accommodated.
The development of the Pathways in recent years has drawn more urban people to the rural areas alongside the rivers, with intermittent concerns raised about stock. Mr Hansen added that cow pats are good for compost for home gardens, if stopbank users want to make the most of the free supply. |