You would think that with DOC dropping 1080 all over the place they would have a good set of biota counts from before and after. Use the before results they must have come up with and go from there. Saves the first part of doing the survey
Ahahahahahahaha. Its gonna be funny asking for that info.
We have made some good progress with this, and two good buggers are prepared to fund the lions share of any scientific paper. They will have the right to have their claim used as part of any ecological report, although being two quite different rivers the findings will be applicable to a wide number of waterbodies.
So, to those who have offered to provide some cash, please PM me and advise how much. I have approached a freshwater ecologist who is nationally well regarded and has done work for Councils, clients in the Environment Court, published papers and has clients in the industries including mining. For those who contribute, I intend to provide all quotes and invoices and paperwork so anyone who contributed will see a transparent use of their money.
As I said earlier, I have no claim but have a landbased EP being currently processed and a second landbased project in the pipeline. My interest is ensuring dredging is an enduring hobby for my kids to enjoy.
I am sure we can get a clear understanding from work on two differing waterbodies such that Councils can have a better appreciation of the minimal impact dredging does. If Councils processing your consents are better informed, the process will be cheaper and easier.
Cheers
Hey Darryl I think its a bloody good idea. Myself and Dan Gerber are prepared to put our money where our mouth is and contribute up to $1500.
Only way to combat the the 'âim outraged and someoneâs hurt my Green feelingsâ" brigade is with facts and science. Rational thought and the pursuit of truth is what got us out of the dark ages and into modern times. It put a man on the moon and its one of the reasons we live in one of the most advanced economies of in the world with a standard of living that many are envious of.
Most of the people who work in places like the regional councils actually dont know anything about a suction dredge or small scale mining. Most of them are educated and young and are employed for short periods of time while they do their time in the trenches before moving onto greener pastures and higher pay. As such knowledge gets lost. As such providing rational and scientifically reported research that backs your argument is the best way to counter opinions and ignorance .
Umm isnât the hurdles you allude to the very thing that Darryl is trying to mitigate by organizing this assessment.
Of course you can be proactive its why you have a claim in the first place unless im assuming your dredging illegally which if you are, your opinion is morally bankrupt.
Being proactive is what here in Otago allows the vast majority of dredgers to dredge without resource consent and it be deemed as a permittable activity. Some miners got together in the 90s when the resource management act first came in to protest against the heavy arm of the regional council and swayed the bureaucrats to allow us to suction dredge a lot easier. Thats what a proactive approach does.
Cheers
Gotta love âPermittable Activityâ the Suction Dredgers Friend. But as discussed here, how long is that going to last. Now that the clean rivers mobilization is coming amongst us. This is a great idea and well thought out. So gratifying to see many climbing aboard with a promised donation. Sadly I canât assist, as one I am a pensioner of limited income and 2. My dredging days are well behind me.
Up here on the Coast we are governed by the West Coast Regional Council, which are pretty pro mining. The chairman Allan Birchfield is a large scale mining operator. Recently there was a move by the Deputy Chairman to unseat Mr Birchfield for a number of reasons. Claiming he pressurized the WCRC CEO and Staff to move on granting consents to various ones that had been denied for some obscure reason and was hindering rather than assisting a common sense approach. The Deputy Chairman had sufficient backing to topple Mr Birchfield. Luckily the Maori side of things (Nga Tahu) and Katiwaiwai (Local) stepped in. Acted as brokers or peace facilitators, arranged a meeting of all affected parties at Arahura.(Local Maori Seat) and the plot was thwarted. Prior to being voted onto the WCRC the Deputy Chairman was a member of Forest and Bird, he relinquished his membership of that organization upon his appointment. Although it was reported in the local paper that at the time of voting, his membership of FB was not known nor mentioned.
Social media comments revolved around Green Organizationâs sup[porting their members to stand for various Regional Councils to affect, I guess change, that supported their views. And that is quite within their rights.
So yep things are going to get tougher. This is not a case of "The Boy that Cried âWolfâ. It is real and coming our way. So we have a great initiative from âMangroveâ to mitigate and safe guard our future here. Well done that man.
Here is the link to the WCRC Water Plan. Scroll down to Rule 30 which covers âSuction Dredgingâ
Cheers Trev aka âThe Hatterâ
Well said! I have followed the Alan Birchfield fiasco and was thrilled to see Katiwaiwai step in to support!
Hi . I have been following this post and think what you guys are trying to achieve is great . I have a half share in a small gold claim in otago and wish to continue dredging. I currently live in Ashburton but am in the process of selling my house and moving to greymouth . I start my new job there next week. Money is a bit tight but i can contribute $300 towards this please pm me your details and i will deposit the money. Sorry I canât give more keep up the great work.
Hi,
Am happy to contribute, have tried to PM mangrove for deposit details.
I see in this months ICMJâs Mining Journal from the US that theyâve done something similar and expect to get dredgers back in the rivers of California in the next few years, then start to adapt the research for other states.
Could reuse a lot of their material hopefully?
Iâll try and post some better detail when I get my magazine back late next week.
Hi Folks and Daryl
Yes I would be willing to contribute, You can even use my claim as long as you guarantee to clean any trout out. You know where to find me, hope this is more successful, people wise for contributions than the QLDC district plan appeal which was talked about got very few folks to make any contributions at all.
With the present results now obvious to the public of the last water event at the top of the south island.
Where is the logic that dredging is damaging our streams
My thoughts exactly! 20mm of rain at my claim and there is no sign at all of dredging. 50mm of rain and I can hear the rocks rolling down the river bed. Over two days my claim had 314mm rain
This is below the Wakamarina during the recent floodâŚhmmm looks a bit forestry?
Well I guess we wont need an assessment nowâŚmmmm⌠all water and consents about to have centralised control. I havnt read any paper work with respect to this but suspect that it will not just be the three waters but will expand to catchments etc. Floods aside we are going to have only one company to deal with, but one that is going to be heavily lobbied by the forest and tweety bird folks, do we really want to bail from the idea of ecology studies etc. Change in general is never going to flop in favour of the mining industry, we need to be ready.
Hi all
Am still working out how to approach this. The freshwater ecologist i consider most suitable is working for a council as a consultant. I see little value in spending your money on science that isnt top-notch or going to get the best outcome for you.
Will keep on it.