Rivers/Streams Projects

Welcome to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council webpage providing information about its management of the region's rivers and streams. It also highlights some specific projects that Council staff are currently undertaking to maintain and improve these waterways and their surrounding areas.

What we do

• Maintain the river berm areas for public use - removing dumped rubbish and car bodies, clearing old trees, maintaining tracks, fences and other facilities - costs ratepayers approx $60,000 a year.
• Manage all river works including - raking and extraction of gravel, maintenance of drains (which take water off the flat plains and reduce the risk of flooding to homes, land and industry) and 194km of stopbanks and planting willows to reduce flood flow.
• Monitor river levels to ensure these don't get too low and affect river life such as fish, eels and insects.
• Issue resource consents for water used for irrigation and for gravel and silt extraction to ensure that these do not adversely affect our environment.
• Divert water from the Ngaruroro River into an artificial recharge to increase levels in the underground aquifer, which provides bore water for irrigation and for city water supplies.

Special Projects

The following projects are just a few examples of particular projects that the Council has been or is involved in.

Karamu Stream/Clive River The catchment of the Karamu Stream/Clive River is surprisingly large. It is the most significant drainage system for the entire Heretaunga Plains including Hastings City and Havelock North. It covers 490 square kilometres with many small creeks and streams, starting as far away as Te Hauke and Raukawa and extending to the coast at Clive. Pollution in any of these feeder waterways has an impact all the way to the ocean, affecting insect and plant life, fish, birds and recreational use. In 2004, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council published the report “Te Karamu Catchment Review and Options for Enhancement”. This summarised the findings of a two year review and investigation of the Karamu Stream and catchment. The review looked at options for improving flood management in the catchment, as well as ways of enhancing the Karamu Stream. From this review rose the Karamu Stream Enhancement Project. The Karamu Project is a long term (20yrs+) project aimed at improving the flood management, aesthetic, amenity and ecological values of the Karamu Stream. The enhancement project aims to reinstate the diversity of riparian vegetation and increase habitat and stream shading. The project also recognises that continued flood protection is important, as well as ensuring the stream and berms are accessible to the public and able to be maintained. Further information on the Karamu Stream and the Enhancement Project is available here.

Karamu Stream from Havelock North Bridge

Lake Tutira and Pakowhai Country Parks

Next time you spend time in the Tutira or Pakowhai Country Parks take a close look at the bridges you'll walk over and seats you relax in - they were part of the Regional Council's corporate training exercise in 2002. Staff members were divided into groups that mixed people from different sections of the Council. Each group was given materials and plans, and it was up to them to carry out the work, making sure everyone was involved.

Pakowhai Country Park

Three bridges were built over the Raupare Stream at Pakowhai, thanks to a $10,000 donation from the Eastern and Central Community Trust, linking the main bank with a small island created in the middle of the stream. People can now enjoy walking along the newly formed island from one end to the other.

At Tutira, the staff built four short boardwalks over wet areas, as well as four seats so people can relax and enjoy the gorgeous views.

Pekapeka Swamp

Pekapeka Swamp is ranked the second most important wetland in Hawke's Bay and has recently seen a lot of activity. The 90 hectare swamp, most of which is owned by the Council, is protected and managed under the Council's Regional Wetland Enhancement Programme. The Council's aims for Pekapeka Swamp are: protect the wetland from any further degradation by fencing out stock, controlling plant and animal pests and maintaining water levels; restore it to something of its former state as a natural wetland ecosystem, providing wildlife habitat and flood detention ability; and promote public access to and awareness of the wetland. The results of major works during the past few years are becoming visible from State Highway 2 as you drive past.

PekaPeka Swamp from the air (1996)

Please contact us should you require further information.