Kaituna River

The Kaituna River starts at Okere Falls on the north western corner of Lake Rotoiti. From here it travels approximately 50 kilometres through temperate rainforest and farmland to enter the Bay of Plenty at Maketu.

The River derives it name as a food source of the tuna (Kai – food and tuna - freshwater eel).

The forests surrounding the proposed dam site have a rich flora with a large component of ferns and allied plants and animals. This includes substantial colonies of the nationally threatened King fern.

The Kaituna river itself is a world famous white-water tourism destination. The river is used for both recreational and commercial kayaking, rafting and sledging. The river features the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall, the awesome 7 metre Tutea Falls.

The Threat to the Kaituna River

Bay of Plenty Energy is proposing to construct a 13.5 MW hydro electric power dam in the area known as the “Lower Kaituna Gourges”. This will generate electricity to power approximately 10,000 homes.

See Bay of Plenty Energy’s website http://www.bope.co.nz/generation/kaituna for their description and map of the proposed dam.

To date the Minister of Conservation has issued an interim decision (approved in principle) which provides access to Bay of Plenty Energy for the purpose of constructing the dam on the Upper Kaituna Scenic Reserve.

This approval is dependent on the required resource consent applications being approved by the Environment Bay of Plenty Regional Council. It is likely that BOP Energy will make these applications to EBOP prior to the end of 2009. These applications would be publically notified.

Organisations Supporting the Kaituna River