In one of the final decisions of its term, Environment Waikato’s outgoing council has guaranteed the regional council’s share of funding for the trust set up to protect Lake Taupo’s water quality.
Environment Waikato has awarded $7,000 from its Environmental Initiatives Fund (EIF) towards an education initiative aimed at protecting native fish, and a coastal community planting program.
Environment Waikato will grant a total of $9,500 for two projects involving Waikato schools.
Cost savings and greater efficiencies in the 2009/10 financial year have helped Environment Waikato achieve a favourable year-end result.
Environment Waikato says it is continuing to monitor rainfall and river levels in the region closely.
Environment Waikato is introducing changes to Hamilton bus services to help make the network more efficient and cost effective.
Environment Waikato is warning of more potential for flooding as forecast heavy rain threatens to place significant pressure on already swollen rivers and saturated catchments in the region.
Long-tailed bats who live around Hamilton’s Hammond Park will have a new home to trial this summer.
Waikato’s 2010 natural hazards highlight value of being prepared.
The Waikato has had a busy year on the natural hazards front.
As the Waikato and Waipa rivers continue to cope with high flows, Environment Waikato is reminding river users to be particularly careful.
Environment Waikato says it endorses a Land and Water Forum recommendation for a national framework in which regional councils and others would manage local water issues.
Environment Waikato hearing commissioners have decided against granting a consent for the proposed expansion of a poultry broiler farm at Eureka, near Hamilton.
Environment Waikato says the levels of the Waikato and Waipa rivers could stay elevated for an extended period due to recent conditions. At this stage the council’s flood management system is expected to cope but there will be localised surface flooding around the region near lakes and rivers. No major problems have been reported so far.
Residents in Cambridge and Matamata are being asked to look for rooks and report sightings to Environment Waikato.
Environment Waikato’s flood operations centre is maintaining a close watch over weather conditions and river levels.
Waikato Civil Defence is urging the region’s residents to be on the alert for rising river levels and high winds generally, and heavy ocean swells on the west coast, over the next few days.
Environment Waikato is looking at promoting forestry and carbon farming opportunities that will help grow a new green economy while delivering positive flow-on effects for the environment.
Environment Waikato is stepping up its flood monitoring for the Waikato and Waipa rivers in response to ongoing rain and a forecast of more to come over the next few days.
A farm operator has been fined $20,000 and his farm manager sentenced to three months community detention for effluent offending at Te Pahu which seriously polluted a high quality “sensitive” waterway last year.
Environment Waikato’s pest control contracting processes have been given the thumbs up in a review by Audit New Zealand.