Wellington Regional Council fined $90, thousand over dam flush that ‘decimated’ stream

Dead fish machine washed up on properties after the top of the lagoon at Birchville Dam was flushed. Photo / Euan Green right from RNZ

To Jonathan Mitchell of RNZ

Wellington Territorial Council has been fined tens of thousands of rupees for a controversial dam flush.

The council flushed the of the lake from Birchville Dam in September property, leaving heavy sediment downstream which usually alarmed residents who came across departed trout smothered in mud.

At a hearing worries Wellington District Court today, those council was fined $90, 500, having earlier pleaded guilty to 2 charges under the Resource Management Move.

Wellington Land & Game manager Phil Teal said the stream was decimated.

“Not only had trout, eels and bullies evidently been killed in the sleek, but the thick layer of sludge left in the stream would have eradicated all the aquatic insects, essentially thrash the entire ecology of the stream, type he said.

Teal said it could take years for putting up this Birchville stream to recover.

While he said the several regional council took immediate responsibility, he believed it had not mastered from its mistake.

“Despite the ruling today, the actual sad aspect is GWRC produces applied for a resource consent for continuing maintenance works on the Birchville Atteinte which could involve more flushing celebrations, ” he said.

– RNZ