Low Lake Levels over Easter.
Many will have noticed, and been alarmed by, the low lake level over Easter this year. The level in fact dropped below 279.100 which is the minimum level that the lake should be operated at between October and May each year (there is a period between 1st May – 30th September when the level is allowed to drop below 279.100)
LRCA has been in contact with Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) and received the following response to our inquiry.
BOPRC’s reply:
“… Yes we did have a glitch with Rotoiti Lake level that allowed the level to drop 16mm below its consented minimum level for a period.
“Staff had intentionally allowed the level to fall toward its lower consented level at the start of the Easter weekend because there was rain forecast and we were expecting that the level would rise accordingly.
“The forecast rain didn’t arrive and when the level was checked on the Sunday it was found to be 16mm below its lower limit. Staff tried to lower the gates to 3 @ 300mm to reduce outflow however our telemetry comms system failed and the gate opening didn’t change.
“This was discovered the following day and immediately rectified with the gates being closed to 3 @ 300mm and the lake level climbed back over the minimum level again.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused lake users. We have learned that forecast rain events can’t be relied upon and we will make sure that the levels are monitored more closely over those popular holiday weekends when there are a high number of users on the lake.”
In fact the closing of the gates to rectify the situation also caused considerable reflux around the diversion wall in the Okere Arm, an unacceptable occurrence that the new Consent is meant to address. The fact that the lake had dropped below the minimum permissible level is an indication of the importance of LRCA’s ongoing monitoring of the lake level and Okere Gates Consent.