River proposals opposed

Press, 7 August 1981, Page 17

River proposals opposed

Objections are growing to hydro-electric proposals affecting the recreational, use of two North Island rivers, the Press Association reports.

Jet boat enthusiasts will consider entering a formal objection to proposals by the Bay of Plenty Electric Power Board on water rights for the Rangitaiki River, while another proposal to dam a Gisborne river has annoved conservationists.

A meeting of the Jet Boat Association at Whakatane found it could not accept the power board's proposals. The association will now meet again to decide whether it will enter a

formal objection. If it does the case will have to go through a regional water board hearing. Other parties, including groups concerned about 4 the danger to fish in the river. also may .lodge objections. The board has applied for changes to the minimum flow allowed in the river below’ the Aniwhenua power scheme. But the Jet Boat Association, after a practical experiment, decided that the proposed minimum was too low and would pose dangers for jet boaters. Damming the Motu River near Gisborne for electricity’ could lose New Zealand $5 million a year of revenue from overseas tourists, pre-

diets a spokesman for the River Protection Committee.

Mr Graham Egarr. who is also a canoeist, told a meeting for Conservation Week at Auckland University that the Motu was the best river in the country for recreation. Proposals for six hydro-elec-tric dams on the river would leave little more than a series of large lakes.

He said the Motu w r as unusual because it flowed through a wilderness area, had access at both ends, and was one of the best rivers in the country for rafting and canoeing.

The number of people using the river had increased dramatically in the last few years, and there were now

four commercial operators taking groups on the two-day trip down from the GisborneOpotiki highway to the mouth.

Rafting alone could earn $5 million a year in overseas funds if properly promoted. He said the investigations alone of the potential for dams would involve building roads and stripping the forest. which in turn would cause serious erosion problems on the steep hills next to the river. ’ The River Protection Committee is fighting, together with the Save the Rivers movement, to have New Zealand's most valuable rivers protected in a similar way to national parks.