LOWER TUKITUKI CORRIDOR CATCHMENT
Land Use: 78 percent of the catchment is in pasture, ten percent in exotic forest and four percent in orchard and vineyards. Notably, less than one percent of landcover is in native vegetation.
CATCHMENT
GROUP
Catchment Committee Chair
Catchment Co-ordinator Kahlia Fryer
Email tukitukicoordinator@gmail.com
Phone 0273426071
ABOUT OUR CATCHMENT
Stretching from the convergence of the Waipawa and Tukituki Rivers to the coast at Haumoana, the Lower Tukituki Corridor is a geographically narrow area centred around the main river system. Tukituki Land Care focuses on the area from the convergence to a few kilometers downstream of the Patangata Bridge.
The catchment faces significant challenges, including severe flooding, erosion, gravel buildup, and the increasing impacts of extreme weather events. River capacity diminished when gravel extraction in this catchment ceased for a number of years worsening flood risks and eroding farmland. Issues such as biosecurity restrictions on managing Chilean Needle Grass have further complicated river maintenance efforts in the past.
Recent flooding events, particularly Cyclone Gabrielle, caused widespread damage to infrastructure and land, leaving a lasting impact on the community.
THE BIG PICTURE
The Big Picture
As part of The Big Picture project, Tukituki Land Care has developed independent, science-backed catchment plans for each of the 17 sub-catchments of the Tukituki River. These farmer-led plans address key environmental challenges specific to each area while identifying practical, affordable solutions. These plans do not impose rules or regulations but they give farmers and catchment groups a roadmap for future planning to improve water quality, boost farm productivity, and open the door to future funding opportunities.
TLC partnered with environmental planning consultancy Environment, Innovation and Strategy Ltd (EIS), who collected data specific to each sub-catchment, including erosion maps, flow path models, land use capability, soil types, and water monitoring information. Alongside the scientific data, in December 2024 TLC hosted workshops for farmers and growers in each sub-catchment to make sure the solutions aligned with the realities of farming and growing in each sub-catchment.
Catchment plans and a summary document are now available for each of the 17 sub-catchments.
Lower Tukituki Corridor Catchment Plan: Summary
Download the Lower Tukituki Corridor catchment summary to find out more about the Lower Tukituki Corridor catchment including context, challenges and key actions.
Lower Tukituki Corridor Catchment Plan: Full Report
Download the Lower Tukituki Corridor catchment full report for a more in-depth look into the context, challenges and key actions in the catchment.
Lower Tukituki Corridor Catchment Maps
These maps have been created as part of The Big Picture and have been compiled as an appendix to the catchment plans.