Selwyn Times: May 16, 2017

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi
Tuesday May 16 2017 7
News
Plan to boost creek’s water quality
• By Georgia O’Connor-Harding
IN THE 1980s a spawning
survey done by the then New
Zealand Acclimatisation Society
showed there were 357 trout
spawning redds in the lowland
drain Snake Creek.
As of last year there were only
57.
North Canterbury Fish and
Game wants to change these
figures, proposing a restoration
project that aims to turn Snake
Creek into a living
stream.
The creek is
one of three
that makes up
the Silverstream
Catchment
which flows
Emily
Arthur-Moore
into the Selwyn
River.
The creek begins
upstream
of the Chamberlains Ford and
flows out to Selwyn River above
Coes Ford.
Parts of the project includes
Fish and Game setting up sediment
traps to help reduce sediment
loads downstream, reducing
E. coli and phosphorus levels
and providing a pool habitat.
Natural features will be placed
strategically along the stream
while gravels on Snake Creek
will be turned over mechanically
following consultation
with iwi.
Fish and Game officer Emily
Arthur-Moore said the main
issue is the Snake Creek drain is
too wide, has low velocity, lacks
diversity and is dominated by a
“run habitat.”
“It doesn’t have any diversity
so a normal stream has what we
call a pool, riffle, run sequence,”
PLANS: Fish
and Game
wants to turn
lowland drain
Snake Creek
into a living
spring. ​
•HAVE YOUR
SAY: What do
you think of the
Snake Creek
restoration
project? Email
your views
to georgia.
oconnor@
starmedia.kiwi
she said.
Mrs Arthur-Moore said
studies by ECan show elevated
E.Coli levels in Coes Ford is a
result of pollutants from the
Silverstream Catchment.
She said while the water quality
is considered to be okay for
swimming, by the time you get
to Coes Ford the water quality
has decreased a lot.
If successful the project will
not only benefit trout and native
species, it will improve water
quality in places including Coes
Ford.
The whole project is expected
to cost between $600,000 to
$700,000 and is so far supported
by about seven organisations
including the Canterbury
Waterway Rehabiliation Experiment
and Living Waters.
If Fish and Game raises
$300,000, the Ministry for the
Environment will consider
matching the money.
Last Tuesday, Mrs Arthur-
Moore ran a presentation on
the project, asking the Selwyn-
Waihora zone committee for
support and to contribute
between $50,000-$60,000 over
the next three years.
It was decided the zone committee
would supply a letter of
support and encourage ECan’s
to support the project through
the long-term plan funding.
Te Taumutu Runanga
representative Les Wanhalla
said while he thought the
project would be the best thing
to happen to Snake Creek he
wants to ensure the runanga
is involved in the decisionmaking.
If enough funds are raised, the
project will start in 2018.
Two more
years for
council boss
SELWYN DISTRICT Council has
extended chief executive David
Ward’s contract for another two
years.
“Councillors employ only one
role – the chief executive – this
role is responsible for the delivery
of all council policies, projects,
and plans for the future through
the other staff,” said Mayor Sam
Broughton.
“David has helped successfully
lead a number of council projects
which help make Selwyn a great
place to live. The extension of Mr
Ward’s contract reflects the positive
work of the council and staff
in our community.”
“Selwyn continues to face a
number of challenges brought on
by growth, changing community
expectations, asset renewal, and
Government legislation,” Mr
Broughton said.
He said councillors have high
expectations of their chief executive
and staff over the next three
years.
Legally, the chief executive’s
contract may be extended for two
years. Mr Ward was appointed to
this role in 2014.
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