The development of a Catchment Management Plan (CMP) for the Waimapu catchment is a collaboration between Tauranga City Council, Ngāti Ruahine, Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC), Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC) and the local community. This is partly funded by the Essential Freshwater Fund of the Ministry for the Environment.
CMPs are a way to identify opportunities for delivering positive outcomes with community input. By enabling an understanding of natural assets, key issues and the community priorities that can influence outcomes in the catchment over the next 10 to 20 years.
How you can be involved
Engagement with the community is key to the success of the CMP. If you would like to be involved or updated, please fill out our online form.
Keep me updated
Thank you to those members of the community that assisted our survey team with the Watercourses Assessment fieldwork that was undertaken in October 2023.
As the work progresses, information will be made available to the community on this webpage, and there will be opportunities for you to provide feedback at different stages. We will work closely with landowners and key parties around the development of key interventions to address place-based issues identified through this work.
The Waimapu catchment
This is one of 16 sub-catchment areas surrounding the Tauranga Harbour. It is approximately 11,000 ha in area and flows from Otanewainuku north to the harbour between Windermere and Greerton. Land uses within the catchment area include urban areas, pastoral grazing, horticultural land, and forestry. The different land uses each impact on the environment including the water quality of the streams in the catchment. The Waimapu catchment contains the Waiorohi tributary that supplies part of Tauranga City’s municipal water.
Waimapu Catchment map (10mb pdf)
Work in progress
- Watercourse Assessment – Learn more about this work. Field surveys developed an understanding of the health of rivers, streams, wetlands and springs, and the condition of stormwater infrastructure within the Waimapu catchment. We are now seeking to further engage with landowners and whānau to share the knowledge gained from this effort and reflect on their aspirations of how the natural and physical values of Waimapu catchment can be enhanced.
- Stocktake and gap analysis – Insights from the Watercourse Assessment will be collated to help understand the current state of the catchment. Land use case studies and examples of best practice water management will be developed with reference to relevant industry and regulatory standards. Partnership with tangata whenua and engagement with industry representatives and landowners will help inform the case studies and identify place-based enhancement opportunities.
Future work
- Technical recommendations – Ways to manage key issues identified in the catchment and to realise place-based opportunities for enhancement. These will be recommended by technical specialists and explored with relevant landowners and key parties.
- Action Plan – Prioritised interventions and community feedback gathered will be incorporated into a recommended Action Plan.
- Waimapu CMP – A summary of the CMP will be published targeting a general audience to help raise community awareness about freshwater values, cultural values and ways to get involved. This will incorporate an implementation plan and lessons learned.